Time for Love (Censored)
by Kakashifan727
Summary: (Some SI Projection?)ReaderxKorosensei. Warnings inside. You didn't expect your teaching job to be taken by a weird octopus, much less the one that destroyed the moon! Yet somehow you find yourself drawn to his warm, caring personality. What awaits you as you teach Class E alongside this egnimatic octopus? Certainly not love?
1. Time for Introductions

**AN:** **this is censored as hell for you ppl; sorry but I enjoy my account access. :D Also, yes blind people can teach; I had one for my Spanish class in college and lemme tell you how the kids treated her. Hooo, boy as a 3/4 blind person myself it enrages me, but never mind.**

 **Trigger Warnings for future content; Self-loathing, self-harm, depictions of gore, suicide mentions and attempts, self confidence issues and some nice hurt comfort and TLC along with other X rated issues.**

 **Huge inspiration from both iSherbika and biceps on ao3 for giving me the strength to write this. Go check out their fanfics, 'Teacher's Petting' and 'baby it's the way you've got me' respectively on ao3 to see much better works than this. The more I write, the more I feel I am plagiarising their amazing works; I don't mean to, sorry. PM me if you guys are concerned. Go read their stuff if you want quality readerxkoro content. This is just the setup chapter.** **Also trigger warnings for squeamish and sensitive ppl; I admit I am projecting/etc here. And yes, I understand someone with this mental state probably would not be employed as a teacher but just lemme have it, kay? Sorry. Long ch because of rambling authors note.**

"What?" You sputter, a look of disbelief crossing your features as you stare at the two men in front of you. Only one of them was familiar to you; the short, red hair of Principal Asano greeting you from behind his ornate desk furnished with his various accomplishments. Trophies and all sorts of baubles decorated the room, reminding you of your place, making your stomach squirm with anxiety. In all your four years of teaching at this high school, you had only been called into the principal's office a few times. The atmosphere was oppressive, choking you and making it hard for you to speak, hence the strained tone your voice had taken.

"I understand this is going to be a change from your usual semester, but..." You could feel the principals eyes on you, causing you to avoid making straight eye contact with the man, looking at him over your glasses; his appearance less intimidating as a bunch of colored blurs than defined shapes, lest you lose your nerve.

"Unless you wish to seek employment elsewhere, you will abide by these terms." He finished, causing you to exhale deeply. From what the principal and the other, well dressed man had told you, a new teacher was going to be helping out with Class E. They weren't any ordinary teacher however, your eyes moving to the wanted poster in your hands. They didn't even look remotely human, with a round face, huge grin and odd looking tentacles protruding out of their odd robe. Were they some sort of alien, you wondered? The man next to the principal, Karasuma, you remember him telling you a short while ago, only glares at you. You swallow heavily, looking at the odd pair before attempting to speak one more time.

"T-this... _thing_ wants to teach at our school? Isn't it some kind of dangerous entity?" You ask, the two men nodding as the officer only crossed his arms over each other with a long sigh.

"Yes, that's correct. We intend to let them, seeing as it is our best opportunity to kill them. If they are teaching here, they can stay in one place and be easier to target. Besides, they've already agreed to a contract; they will not cause harm to come to any of the students." You notice that he only mentioned the students, making you wonder what exactly they meant. Were you fair game, then?

"...Why the kids though? Why do you have to involve them? I guess I understand, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth; turning high schoolers into professional killers..." You mutter, a frown spreading across your face. This time it was the principal who spoke up, an odd smirk on his face.

"They are the End Class, the lowest of the low. It's not like they have many other options; this would be a good opportunity for them, don't you think?"

 _No, not really_. You think, though you could only give a small nod at the principal's words. You didn't want to confront him here, in his own domain, despite the voice in your head saying you should tell him to screw off.

"Okay, sir...and what about me? I don't see why I need to be here, if that...thing is taking my place..." You dejectedly comment, the principal and Karasuma only glancing to one another before the former spoke up.

"Even though that...creature is a supposed super being, this will be their first teaching assignment. They personally asked that you be kept on board, seeing as you have more experience, and help them out with their duties. Do whatever you like as far as teaching goes; your End Class will still be at the bottom of the barrel, unlike two years ago. I will not see a repeat of that incident..." He mutters the last sentence under his breath, you yourself only barely able to catch it with your superior hearing. One thing suprised you however; that the creature had

argued on your behalf. _It probably has some ulterior motive._ You remind yourself, understanding that this thing had the power to blow up most of the moon. Why would they want you around? Still, the thought was a comforting one, causing an odd flush to come over your cheeks as your glasses slid down your nose. You quickly covered your face with the wanted poster, embarrassment causing you to want to hide. The two men paid it no mind however, the military man called Karasuma only walking up to you with a hard stare as he offered his hand.

"I am Tadaomi Karasuma, an officer at the ministry of defense. You can call me Karasuma, the class physical education teacher, however. Those kids are going to need harsh training if they want to kill that guy in a year. Remember, no one outside of this room is to know about our arrangements. I look forward to working with you, starting tomorrow." You take his hand, finally gathering the courage to look him in the eye as the red tinge on your cheeks began to disappear.

"Nice to meet ya, Tadao—erm—Karasuma-san. I will see you tomorrow, along with our new teacher as well. If I may be excused..." You let go of his hand, offering a deep bow before you turn to leave, your heart beating rapidly in your chest. Just what the hell had you gotten into? This year was going to be interesting...

You just wearily slam the door shut, your mind reeling with all of the information you had just learned. _So much for this being an ordinary school year...Ah, so what? I've got this! Yeah, and this years kids don't seem too bad either. Just means I have to push myself a bit harder than before, that's all!_ You mentally chide yourself, an odd pulse of positive energy spreading through your body. This year wouldn't be so bad; think of the positives! With Karasuma and that octopus helping out with the teaching, it put less of a strain on your shoulders. _But,_ an annoying voice in the back of your head quipped, _what if the children like them better? What can you, a simple school teacher, offer them that the military man and space alien couldn't do a thousand times better?_ You feel your positive energy start to drop as the voice continues to taunt you, it's sound sickeningly sweet and sarcastic. _Just go back to America; no one wants a foreign fool to teach them. You aren't smart enough, not capable enough, not whole—_

" **Oh shut up! Christ, who asked you?"** You lash out to no one in particular, switching back to your native tongue in your rage as you threw your duffel bag with school materials on the counter. You just shake your head, trying to dismiss the negative thoughts running through your mind. Your stomach rumbles, causing you to scour your fridge in search of food. Maybe eating something would make you feel better, you muse, as you reheat the container of food and begin to eat. The food had no real flavor, not tasting like anything in particular, only dampening your spirits further as you cleaned up the mess.

"I should probably review the lesson materials for the week." You remind yourself, shuffling through the contents of your bag and flipping through the pages. Checking that everything was set for tomorrow, you head for your bedroom, undressing out of your formal school attire and into a nice shirt and shirts. It was just easier for you to sleep in than regular pjs, and it's not like anyone was going to berate you for your choice of sleepwear. _You're still plain and ugly, no matter how you dress yourself up, you sack of fat._ The voice taunts again, it's truths causing a steering ache to flash across your chest. You can feel your eyes start to burn, blinking back tears as you snuggle yourself into the warm covers. _Still...I want to do what I can to help those kids._ You think, attempting to ignore the trails of tears flowing down your cheeks, waiting for the oblivion of sleep to finally take you...

"...Hmmm?" You wearily look up at the dilapidated building, your breath coming out in harsh, heavy pants. _Fucking mountain never gets any easier..._ You think, once again taunted by the doubts in your head. _It'd probably be easier if you weren't such a fat fuck; stop eating so many pastries for breakfast and maybe you_ might _lose the pounds. Not that it would help any, you pathetic pile of trash..._ You can only lean on your cane for support, wrapping your hands around the tiny handle before you easily snap it back into its portable state and put it into your backpack. You didn't need it here after all; knowing the hallways and passages of it by heart from your previous years teaching here. It is effortless for you to follow the path to the main classroom, your brain already telling your feet where to go like it was second nature. Thankfully it was only seven thirty in the morning; a full hour before the day officially began. You didn't mind, preferring to be early rather than late to events, wanting to use this time to get things settled. Plopping your bag on the large desk in front of you, you quickly examine the classroom, which is dusty and dirty from being mainly unoccupied during the summer. You let out a small sigh, leaving the room to find the supply closet, hoping to clean up the place a bit before either the children or the new teachers arrive. Thankfully, no one had messed with the cleaning implements you had brought in the other day, your stride filled with purpose as you once again entered the main room. At least you could get this done now and then hopefully move onto the other rooms later...

"You missed a spot."

"Thanks. Wait, huh?" You nearly squeak out, turning your ears towards the unfamiliar voice. You start to stand up, holding onto the wall to steady yourself, turning around as you faced the owner of said voice. A large, looming figure was seated at the large desk in the front of the classroom, their form slightly blurry because of their distance. You swore you could maybe see a tinge of pink in their round face, but you dismissed it as your sight playing tricks on you. Not the first time you thought you saw something that wasn't there. You easily walk toward them, their round head and large grin coming steadily into focus the closer you moved. They really were like the photo, tentacles and all, though the real thing was much taller and intimidating in real life. You could feel their eyes scan you apprasingly, making you feel nervous as butterflies flutter around in your stomach. What was their deal, exactly? You open your mouth to speak, yet nothing comes out, the insides of your mouth dry from nerves. _Never was good with this kinda thing..._ You mentally chastise yourself, rubbing the back of your neck with your hand.

"So...You the guy that's taking my job?" You ask, not really sure what else to say and wanting to get to the heart of the matter. The figure only lets out a small chortle, the odd high pitched sound making your heart race. It was unlike any laugh you had heard before, but that wasn't a bad thing...What was odd to you was how their face slowly went from pure yellow to a couple horizontal green stripes, their beady eyes seeming to narrow as they spoke.

"Nyuhuhuh, is that what you think? Ah, my dear..." They paused, the area where their cheeks were lighting up with an odd, pink glow. So did you imagine that before, or not? They only offer one of their odd tentacles in greeting, you carefully eyeing the weird, bulbous appendage before you feel their odd feelers wrap around your extended hand. It was slightly sticky, yet soft, similar to one of those rubber slime balls in texture, and it was surprisingly warm.

"Sorry, I'm [Name]. And who do I have the pleasure of working with for the next year?" You joke, a small smile plastering your face as you resorted to one of your emergency tactics; humor. They only gave you a lopsided smile, something akin to sadness passing along their eyes before they returned to their regular neutral expression.

"Me? Hmmm...I supppse I do not have a name, per say. Call me whatever you will, I suppose." They answer, making a frown cross your face for a moment while you took in that information. They didn't have a name? How sad...Apparently, your concern did not go unnoticed the by odd figure, whose face started to change to a light pink hue, their usual yellow pallor being overtaken from the center and spreading outwards. You feel the odd two pronged tentacle start to cup your chin, leaning your head upwards to look into those eyes. They were pretty tall compared to you, your four foot frame barely reaching their chest. You could see warmth in them, the onyx orbs seeming to glow as happiness radiated from the creature's face.

"...You are a kind person, aren't you?" You hear them say, causing your own face to heat up with embarrassment. You weren't used to receiving compliments, you breath caught in your throat. You swallow sharply, going back to another one of your emergency tactics to use in awkward social situations.

"No, me? I'm not...You're mistaken." You mutter, unable to turn your head away because of the hand holding your chin. You see their eyes flicker to the right for a second, then once again focus on you as another chuckle erupts out of their mouth.

"Hahaha, no need to be modest, [Name]-san. Despite my...off putting appearance, I consider myself a good judge of character. Trust me." You feel your face only heat up further at their remark, the blush on your cheeks more prominent. The sound of a door opening causes the two of you to nervously squeal, both of you jumping back a couple inches, their tentacle quickly returning to their side as if nothing had happened. Their pink hue was still clear on their face though, and their cheeks were a deeper crimson. You just ignored the burning on your cheeks and the nasuea in your stomach, turning away from the figure before the sound of a cough made you turn your head that way.

"...So it seems you have met each other, at least. Good." Karasuma comments, his eyes looking from you to the large octopus a couple times before settling on the classroom...

The first day of teaching went much easier than you expected, considering the large changes to your already established schedule. The kids seemed nice enough, if not a little rowdy when they learned of the new staff and the assassination bounty on their head. The three of you began to settle into a routine as the days went by, you mainly covering English, along with a few other choice subjects, the octopus readily teaching Math and Science as well as Home Economics, which surprised you a little. You soon became used to the regular assassination attempts during homeroom, often having to duck or doge out of the way of bullets. You knew they weren't going to hurt you, but the impact still stung, and you didn't need welts on your body. What surprised you the most was the being's immense speed, moving at such a rate that your eyes often had trouble keeping up. No wonder they had a hard time trying to kill theme. Still, they were able to effectively teach despite the distractions, the kids slowly warming up to the octopus, aside from the usual troublemakers. Karasuma only taught Physical Education, using the overgrown lawn in the back of the building to do so, otherwise busy attending to his own work. You didn't really bother him, aside from the occasional question or request to join in on the sessions. You could use the exercise, you figured, and what better way to do it? It didn't take up any of your teaching time, seeing as the majority of classes afterward were taught by the octopus, as everyone began calling the large being. They certainly didn't mind, often accepting the moniker for what it was, embracing it even. After a while, the creature even revealed that it was supposedly male, going by the notes Nagisa Shiota often took and your own observations while you were in the staff room. Apparently they—rather he—had quite the collection of naughty magazines, Oakjima helping you nab a couple to possibly use as blackmail. The kid was a bit of a pervert, the boy often being caught trying to get into the girls bathroom and do other things of that nature, but he had his uses.

Call it your insecurity or paranoia, but you couldn't help but feel as if you were being watched during some of those sessions, the sweat often clinging to your body at the end of particularly difficult classes, the gym clothes you left out in the shed for this purpose often sharing the same fate. _What kind of person would find you attractive anway? You're imagining things, you little fool._ Still, the voices continued to chastise you, you doing your best to ignore them while you worked. At night, in the quiet of the darkness however, they came about in full force, nothing else to distract your mind from their incessant nagging. This often lead to lost hours of sleep, your body waking up tired. So this pattern continued for the rest of the week, and later into the next, before a surprising incident shook the classroom. It all happened after lunch...

An odd acrid tinge invaded your nostrils as a blue haired head passed you in the back of the classroom, Nagisa for some reason walking over to Terasaka's desk; the gruff boy only giving him a small huff before you heard something small drop into his much smaller hands. You were confused, the slight twinge of hope in your heart breaking. You had hoped maybe, just maybe one of students would have come to you for help, even if you were technically not on teaching duty this period. You wanted to be helpful, be useful to the kids in any small way; something that this damn octopus was taking away from you. If they wouldn't even rely on you to ask your help for a single question, what good were you as a teacher? You felt like you were being watched, an odd chill coming over your spine even though no one was looking your way, making you wonder if your paranoia was getting the better of you. Even Nagisa had begun to once again walk towards the octopus standing at the front of the desk. The smell coming from the round object was quite unfamiliar to you, though you had a bad feeling in your gut. Call it teacher's intuition, and you just then noticed Terasaka giving a smirk to one of his friends, the sinking feeling only growing worse. You admit you weren't too sure of what you saw, knowing that your sight wasn't the best at times; the features of his face did start to blur together because of the distance between your seat and his head.

 _I don't like this...Even if it is to try and assassinate that_ thing _that has taken over my job. I'm worried..._ You think, scuffling your chair against the hardwood floor as you attempted to get up. A couple of the students, Hirano in particular, look at you with raised eyebrows and perplexed expressions, only making your self doubt about the situation grow. You had no real reservations about having the alien teacher killed; part of you even wanted him to be gone, starting to dislike the attention he received that was usually yours alone. It was the only thing you had going for you currently, and this octopus bastard was slowly taking it away from you. You couldn't stand it; the feelings of uselessness every morning when you woke up, the constant weariness of being watched and compared when the two of you were together. And this has only been two weeks since he started the position; how could you expect to last a whole year with this smug bastard? So you ignored the sinking feeling in your gut, walking a couple steps toward the odd pair, reaching out and putting one hand on the small child's shoulder, faking a smile that you clearly didn't feel as you spoke.

"Nag—Shiota-kun, are you sure you don't need my help? You can rely on me, you know..." You mutter weakly, ignoring the flush that suddenly came over your cheeks. You felt a little lost, standing in the middle of the rows of chairs, the small child offering you a smile in return.

"Oh...[Name]-Sensei. No, it's not that. I just thought that maybe...you needed a break." His words were meant to be kind, but they sting you like a knife. Nagisa was an observant boy, often taking notes on the octopus and his odd habits or changes of color, so this kind of thing wasn't surprising for him. Of course he'd know you were tired, and you felt horrible that one of your students was able to see past your strong facade. You were supposed to take care of them, not the other way around! He was right; you had been having a little trouble sleeping the past couple nights, much like when you heeard the octopus was taking over your job, turning and tossing in your sheets from anxiety until the wee hours of the morning. You just attempt to shrug it off, nodding as you watched the blue haired boy walk up to the large octopus.

"Sensei, I finished the assignment..." He says, handing over the book to the much taller teacher. You blink in confusion for a moment, watching as some round thing shuffled in the child's hands as he offered up the workbook. That horrible feeling from before intensified; causing you to take a couple steps closer as you hear the octopus hum in delight.

"Ah, good job Shiota-kun! Now let me see..." He mutters, taking the small workbook in his odd, two pronged hands. His beady eyes lock with yours for a fraction of a second, your own brows widening as you watch the small child lunge towards the towering figure. You dash forward with lightning speed, surprising even yourself, adrenaline coursing through you as you hear the grenade make an odd pop. _What is that kid thinking!?_ You roughly grab him, pulling the blue haired boy by the shirt collar as the smell of gunpowder enters your nose, the grenade already out of his hand before you could move any further. You understood that the rubber bullets used to attack the creature were mainly harmless to humans, but that didn't mean the gunpowder inside the tiny ball wouldn't harm the boy. You put yourself in between the boy and the flying grenade, wrapping yourself protectively around him so you would be caught by most of the explosion.

You can feel the heat and pressure of the explosion against your back, the light burning your eyelids even though they were closed. You just clutched onto the boy tighter, waiting for the extreme pain of being blown to bits to finally register in your brain. At least it wasn't a bad way to go, you figured, saving one of your students. You feel an odd sensation through the slight pain of being burned, your form falling to the floor with a loud thump, causing you to open your eyes slightly. The room was only a blur to your eyes, a mix of colors that didn't resemble any particular shapes, your glasses having fallen off your face and onto the floor in the confusion. You could easily make out the blue tint of Nagisa's hair, his face close enough for you to make out the details as you scrutinized him. He was scared, the look in his eyes one of fear though he seemed completely unharmed by the blast. Good. Good. At least you were able to do that much, but how? You gently separate yourself from the boy, attempting to stand, your body aching as you stood upright, feeling that odd substance stick to you the more you moved around. It was filmy, sort of sticky and had a soft texture, quite unlike anything you've felt before. You easily pulled most of it off of you, throwing it to the side before you examined the classroom to see if anything changed. You couldn't tell, everything a swimming blur that made your head start to ache, the loss of your glasses hindering you significantly. Terasaka's loud yell made you move your head in his direction, the boy only a messy blob of moving colors as he stood up from his desk.

"Dammit! How could that not have worked?" He shouts out, apparently pointing a finger in your direction. You feel anger settling in your gut, a red hot feeling that only intensified as you looked at the small boy on the ground. He seemed fine, but that wasn't the point; what if you hadn't noticed what was going on? What if you hadn't made it in time? What if whatever it was hadn't shielded you two from the blast? You gingerly bend down to pick up your glasses, noticing that they were intact thankfully, though a bit worse for wear as you slide them on the bridge of your nose. The world becomes much more clear instantaneously, blurs of color turning into recognizable shapes and even people, though details such as their exact forms and facial expressions were lost to you.

You can still feel the slight pain of the burns against your back, your clothes slightly dusty and torn due to your recklessness and falling on the floor. Thankfully they were only ripped in places, and not enough to show anything inappropriate; maybe just a touch of skin here and there. At least it was only a simple shirt and jacket with pants combo, nothing too expensive that you couldn't replace. You sighed, turning toward where the large creature had been, wanting to see the damage done. Your heart nearly stopped at what you saw, or rather, what you felt. You weren't a violent person, but you had your own moments of anger, such as now. That was nothing compared to the rage the octopus emanates across the small classroom, causing even Terasaka to blanch in terror. His usual grin was gone, as was his familiar yellow hue, replaced by a black sheen as veins throbbed against his forehead, his large row of teeth seemingly larger and sharper than before. Your heart beat rapidly in your chest, cold fear washing over you as you watched him easily drop from the corner of the ceiling, his menacing gaze focused on the blond-brunette. A knot began to settle in your stomach, anxiety making your face pale a bit as the ache in your head only grew in intensity; you never were good with confrontations, and that was mainly with humans. This was his true form; the creature who was able to obilterate the moon, and would do so to the Earth in a year if he was not stopped.

" _Terasaka-kun, what in the world were you thinking!?"_ His voice was no longer friendly and high pitched, it was a deep growl that reverberated throughout his being and held no room for compromise. You felt your stomach drop at hearing it, yet something in you also responded to that odd tenure, your heart skipping a beat, quickly moving to stand between the enraged teacher and the boy. You knew it would do no good; he could easily overpower you, but you still wanted to try. You were also angry at Terasaka for his reckless stunt, but by no means did you want to hurt the boy, as you assumed the looming creature ahead of you did. Said teen was currently wearing an expression of clear terror, his voice shaking as he began to speak.

"What? That was a legitimate assassination attempt! You can't be pissed at me for that!" The figure only took a couple steps forward, the large black slits that were now his eyes focusing on you for a fraction of a second. You quickly spread out your arms in a futile gesture, understanding that he could easily overpower you in half a second if he so desired. Still, that didn't mean you could do nothing. You could feel the chill of terror spread through you, as well as another sensation you couldn't identify in the heat of the moment, as his eyes seemed to stare through you. You only bit the inside of your mouth to keep the neutral expression on your face, determined to try and keep up a strong front, even though you could feel your legs shaking slightly. The octopus only left the room, surprising you and the students as the window slammed open, the rush of wind tousling your already uneven hair. Hearing struggling footsteps, you turn your head slightly to see that Nagisa has finally risen from the floor, his expression one of shock but none the worse for wear. This caused the bundle of nerves in your stomach to calm slightly, though you were still anxious as to what the odd teacher might do.

Said teacher only returned a scant few seconds later, numerous nameplates scattering into a confused mess onto the hardwood floor. You counted them, easily able to notice that they were the names of the children. Every single one was there, and you supposed yours would have been as well if you had a more permanent residence than the small apartment you occupied.

" _I may not be able to kill you, but any of your family members are fair game. Do anything like that again and I promise you..."_ He let the threat linger, his voice echoing in the silent classroom, no one wanting to confront him on the matter. He was right, after all; his contract said he was not allowed to hurt the students, but you assumed their family, and even possibly any of other teachers, would be fair game. Thankfully, the door to the classroom banged open then, a familiar pair of narrowed hazel eyes and slicked back short hair causing you to let out a sigh of relief.

"What's happening here?" A low voice rumbles out, Karasuma easily commanding the attention of everyone in the room. Take it from the guy who was an officer in the military of defense, he had an air about him that demanded you pay attention to him. Even the octopus was focused on him, his pallor changing back to its bright yellow form as his eyes shrunk into their familiar tiny ovals.

"Ah, Karasuma-Sensei...I was just reprimanding the students, is all. They need to learn how to conduct proper assassinations if they even want a chance at taking me down, nyuhuhuhu." The octopus responds, his head gradually changing from its usual yellow to a combination of odd green and yellow stripes. You just stare, understanding that this is the color he takes when he is mocking someone. At least, that is going by the notes you copied from Nagisa and kept in your bag at all times. You weren't an assassin, but it was probably best to know more about this strange creature, seeing as you were going to be working alongside him for the rest of the school year. Having an idea of his moods and thought process was probably a smart thing, especially now after his little outburst. You weren't really afraid of him before, but now, now you did feel a chill seep up your spine as you felt his gaze on you. Almost immediately, you felt the odd warmth of what were his fingers on your face, his expression now crestfallen as he moved around you.

"Oh dear...[Name]-Sensei!" He chirped out, his voice once again it's usual high pitched squeal, though you noted a twinge of sadness in his tone. You certainly didn't understand why; you were more or less fine, aside from the feeling of odd aches and pains across your body. It was really nothing anyone else had to worry about, you'd take care of it later. You opened your mouth to say as much, wanting to put him and the couple other children giving you worried looks at ease.

"I'm fine, really! Don't wor—" You felt your body lurch forward suddenly, everything swimming in front of your eyes and becoming double. You only can feel pain behind your eyelids, the feeling of your body colliding with something firm and soft being the last thing you noticed before you lose consciousness.


	2. Time for Awkwardness

You open your eyes to a blurred mess of shapes and colors, your head feeling like it is going to split open as pain throbs against your temples. You feel something cold and hard lying against you, supporting your prone form. What? You can't really remember too much at the moment, any attempt at focusing broken by the pain in your head. You remember the explosion, and using yourself as shield, but after that...Nothing. The sounds of fingers tapping steadily against computer keys reach your right ear; though you do not see anything within your current field of vision. You do notice that your body feels tired, aches spreading across your limbs as you slowly move to sit up. A groan escapes your mouth, your hands frantically moving about along the bottoms of the surface. Your fingers curl around a familiar small piece of plastic, the feeling of the material of your glasses ingrained into your muscle memory. You gently put them over your nose, blinking a few times as the world comes into much needed focus.

"..." You can only let out a small exhale, the usual wooden floors and walls of the staff room calming your nerves slightly. Hadn't you been in the classroom? The sound of clicking stops suddenly, causing you to turn your head to the right, Karasuma and his laptop finally entering your field of view. He only stares at you with a worried expression, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor as he moves it.

"You're awake...How do you feel?" He asks gruffly, though you can notice the concern in his voice. He really isn't a bad guy, just shy ...You thought. You attempt to move your body to face him; in an attempt to be polite and make eye contact as best you can, aches erupting out of your strained muscles as you swing your legs around. Your heart skips a beat as you feel yourself slip off of the smooth surface, your body falling to the floor with a loud thump. Thankfully it wasn't too big of a fall; only a few inches, but the added jolt did nothing for your aching body, a small groan of pain escaping your lips. You hear a pained sigh erupt out of his mouth, his footsteps hurried as you push off of your hands to right yourself on your own. You notice then, your wrists are covered in bandages, which run all the way up to your arms from what you can feel under your blazer, making a twinge of anxiety pulse through you. What exactly happened after you passed out? You shakily stand up, wobbling a couple steps before a firm hand grabs you by the shoulder.

"Ah...Sorry. Didn't mean to...cause trouble..." You mutter, an embarrassed flush spreading across your face. The physical education teacher only shakes his head, his eyes roaming over your form worriedly.

"Geez, are you alright? Take it easy and rest for the day..." He responds, a worried look crossing over your face. But what about classes? You mention as much to your colleague, who only gives you an odd smile as he guides you to a chair to sit down in.

"The day can't be over yet, right? Aren't I in charge of the remaining classes for the day?"

"Don't worry about that. Korosensei is taking over your duties for the day." You only stare at him in confusion, the name he says unfamiliar and foreign to you. Who?

"Koro...Sensei?" You parrot back stupidly, your head pounding against your eardrums, Karasuma only nodding at your apparent confusion.

"Ah, right...Kayano-san decided to give that moniker to our octopus friend. Fitting, I suppose, since he isn't exactly an easy target."

 _Korosensei...Korosenai? Unkillable teacher, eh? Trust Kayano-chan to come up with a nickname like that._ You muse, a small smile coming to your lips at the thoughts. At least he had a proper name now, not thing or that octopus guy like you all had been calling him for the past two weeks. You look at your wrists for a moment, narrowing your eyes at the carefully placed bandages wrapped around your arms. You noticed you also had some on your neck, torso included, as your feel them press up against your body and clothing. Someone must have done this for you, as you had no way of doing it yourself; you could do basic first aid yes, but not while unconscious! You turn your head upwards towards the military officer, a question pursing your lips.

"Karasuma-san, how long have I been out? And who...who bandaged me back up?" The man only nodded at your questions, slowly walking back to his place at the staff room table now that he knew you were okay to sit on your own.

"Only an hour or so...As for your wounds, they don't seem to be too serious; just minor bruises and burns, from what he said, anyway. I wasn't there to supervise the process..." Supervise the process? Huh? You blankly stare at him, your brain attempting to process his words. You just felt the ache in your head intensify, your temples throbbing in pain. You highly doubted any of the children could do this, and if it wasn't Karasuma, then that only meant...The octo—No, Korosensei did this, then? Never figured him for the nursing type. Though I suppose I don't know him all that well, either...You reason, wondering exactly how he could have patched you up so well with those odd tentacles of his. _Wait_ , you realize, putting one hand to your bandaged stomach, _If he had to put these bandages on me, then..._ Your mind connects the dots easily enough, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment as an odd squeal erupts out of your mouth.

" **Aaaagggh, goddammit! W-what?"** You scream in English, a hand slamming against the long table, your cry startling the usually stoic Karasuma, his eyes widening. You take a couple deep breaths, attempting to calm yourself as you think things through. It's not like he did it on purpose...Besides, he was probably too busy fixing you up to get a good glance at anything right? _Yeah_ , the voice inside your head mocked as you took in your ugly body, _Not like he'd be turned on by a pig like you, anyway!_ You feel an odd mixture of shame run across your body then, a sort of chill that dampens your anger. Just then, the usual bell chimes that signaled the end of the day began to ring, the sounds of children talking and packing up their things echoing from a couple rooms away. Almost immediately, a familiar looming figure appears in the doorway, his usual grin replaced by an out of place frown, though his eyes had an odd twinkle to them. You feel your stomach droop a little at seeing the sad expression on his face, though embarrassment still heats up your cheeks.

"Oh, [Name]-Sensei! Are you quite alright?!" The oc—Korosensei's voice rings out joyfully, as you mentally remind yourself to address him by his proper name. The sound of your name being said in that tone, not one of anger or malice, makes your heart flutter, your mouth drying up in your throat. He easily makes his way over to the chair you are sitting in, a lopsided smile on his round face as he examines you. You offer him a small nod, your stomach tightening into knots at his closeness to your person, wanting to give Korosensei some kind of reassurance. You still felt quite tired, and your body was aching slightly, but you felt okay aside from that. Certainly not enough to bother him with your problems...

"Eh? Yeah, I'm fine, just fine..." His oval eyes just narrow at you, making you feel even more squeamish and uncomfortable. A squishy finger is waved in front of your face, his frown only becoming more pronounced at your response.

"Ah, don't lie! Trying to act tough is only going to hurt you in the long run!" He says, causing you to avert your eyes in shame for a moment. He was good. Too good. You didn't need him wasting energy worrying about you, however, the guilt pouring into your gut like concrete. Weighing you down, making you feel vulnerable.

"Never mind me; what about Shiota-kun? I do hope you told Terasaka not to try any stunts like that again, I hope?" You ask, attempting to divert the conversation from yourself. He wasn't having any of it however, a frown painting his face as he grumbled out a response. Tch. Nothing gets past this guy, huh?

"The kids are fine; I gave them a long lecture, and Karasuma even agreed that putting the other students, or teachers," Korosensei gives you a sharp glare as he says this, "at risk is a horrible thing to do. I'm honestly more concerned about you at the moment!" He half shouts, your face heating up at the intensity of his words. Great. Now you've gone and made him worry about you. Nice going idiot. You made the person who was able to decimate the moon concerned about some petty bruises and burns from a little grenade. You felt shame creeping up your face, wanting to hide and go lie in a dark corner somewhere. You feel the onset of hot, wet tears creep up at the corners of your eyes and attempt to blink them back.

"I told you already; I'm alright! Just a little bruised, is all. Nothing for you all to worry about!" You snap back, anything to stop the rush of tears threatening to pour down your cheeks. You weren't weak; you weren't going to let this upset you. God if only you could go home and have a nice bath after today. Or a nice stiff drink. Or both. There was a nice bar in town, you remembered, making a mental note to go there after this shitshow was over. It was about time to go see those two anyway; the...'agreement' time already having passed for the month.

"Nonsense! You're lucky that grenade was only filled with Anti-me bullets. Thank God I was able to cover you with my skin in time..." You just blink in surprise, noting the phrase he used. _Skin? He covered me with...Eeeww..._ You thought, heat flushing your cheeks even further, tears starting to stream down your face. You didn't like the implications that held. Still, you weren't ungrateful and had always been told to repay a favor with a favor. But...what could you do? Your mind trails back to the copy of Nagisa's notes in your bag, one of them mentioning that Korosensei likes sweets. You weren't a world class cook or anything, but you could follow a recipe easily enough. You even had some family recipes that your mom had given you. That's it, then. You just hoped he enjoyed Western sweets...

"Look, I'm not...ungrateful or anything. Just...why do you even care? I'm not a student; just an expendable cripple for deadbeat kids who the school gave up on. Why are you...so _nice_? I mean, we could—maybe—kill you in a year, y'know? We're practically your enemies, yeah!?" You ask, feeling a couple of the tears slide down your face. Goddammit. Now was not the time to lose face. You could feel the self-loathing build up in your gut, a hot mess of sharp pain in your chest and rage that threaten to spew forth. And you had already started to lose control…

You watch as his color shifts again, the green stripes now becoming an odd shade of blue that you were unfamiliar with. He looked almost forlorn as he averted his gaze from you for a second, though you felt his tentacle slowly glide up your right cheek. The sight made your heart drop, though you felt your pulse quicken at his gentle touch, unconsciously biting the bottom half of your lip as you wonder how you could rectify the situation any. You notice now that the sound of fingers tapping on a keyboard has stopped; Karasuma must have left, then. Why now? You mentally groan, your mind failing to process what exactly that meant.

"...Is that what you think? That you're just an extra, so easily replaced?" You froze at his words, feeling an odd undercurrent of anger in them that wasn't there before as you watched what were supposedly his temples throb in tandem with his reddening skin.

"Eh...W-well, If...If it wasn't for you sticking up for me...I doubt I'd have been able to keep my job." You mutter sheepishly, remembering the conversation you had with the principal and Karasuma that seemed like ages ago. He only lets out an exasperated sigh, the color on his face changing once again as you watch him relax slightly.

"What are you…? [Name]-Sensei...My intention was not to 'take over' your position."

"What was it then? Clearly, you're the better teacher out of the both of us. I mean, who the heck can clone themselves and teach all of the students at once?" You say, causing him to actually nod at you, his appendage dangling at his side. That was surprising; you didn't think he'd agree so easily.

"Of course; My abilities are superior to anything a human can accomplish. That being said...They can not replace years of experience. You still have that on me, you know." He answers, causing an odd feeling to well up in your chest. _What is this guy?_ You just mutter out a response, feeling his odd gaze still watching you.

"Still...It sure doesn't feel like it. I mean, you're so...perfect—and at everything too! How can I even—" You feel him inch closer to you, a tentacle signaling for you to stop talking. His eyes are oddly wide, a pink tinge taking over his cheeks as he stutters out a response.

"P-perfect!? Hahaha, you overestimate me, [Name]-Sensei! Believe it or not, this is my first teaching assignment. I highly doubt I could do nearly as well without Karasuma and your much needed help." He was lying, again, for your sake. It made you feel bad, squirming in your chair.

 _See? He's just being nice. He doesn't need a loser like you around. Maybe you should just pack up and go._ You hear the voice think, shaming you once again from the prison of your mind. _But he just praised me. Called me useful..._ You want to ignore the back and forth of your aching head, to push the thoughts away, so you say, something, anything to quiet your busy mind.

"What? You've never...taught before?" You sputter out, not really able to believe his statement. He had not taught before this? Of course not, you remind yourself, the figure in front of you was a world secret; probably some sort of artificial life form. He only nods, his eyes seeming to twinkle as they lock with yours. You feel one of his hands wrap around your shoulder, making you self-conscious at your very noticeable height difference.

"Still...I admit I am not too sure of how I am doing as a teacher. Having someone around who has done this before is a huge relief; I can say that much." You feel your face flush at his praise, the odd look he was giving you only increasing in intensity the longer you two locked eyes. You only exhale, trying to calm your quickening pulse and rapidly beating heart. Was it your imagination or was he turning pink again; a deeper pink than usual...Why? He must be relaxed about something, from what you remember of Nagisa's notes. You blink a couple times, breaking the hold he had on you, your mouth slowly opening to ask a question. It had been on your mind for a while now; you just weren't sure how to bring it up. Now that Karasuma was gone, it might be a better time to do so.

"Sooo..." You began, feeling yourself flush once again with heat as you take your fingers and clasp them together. Better do it now.

"Karasuma-San mentioned that...You fixed me up afterwards. Uhm...You didn't...uh...d-do anything, right?" You ask sheepishly, watching as he reels back as if he had been physically struck. Maybe I shouldn't have asked...

"W-w-what!? No, never! I mean, I admit I had to..." Korosensei stops speaking, his voice trailing off as he turns into a pink sphere, making you concerned. You highly doubt he'd do anything, but you mostly wanted to be sure. What if he liked what he saw? The odd thought flashes across your mind, making you miss his next words, too busy trying to reel yourself back to reality.

"...Did not lay a tentacle on you unless it was absolutely necessary! You were covered in quite the number of tiny bruises and burns; I figured it best to treat you here. It's not like we could explain to the school or hospital how you received those injuries...If you don't trust my judgement, that's fine..." He argues, causing you to let out a small sigh. You would take him at his word, he wasn't much of a liar.

"N-no..." You start to say, finally moving your gaze away from his in an embarrassed fashion. "I...It's just embarrassing, I guess. Aside from these," You motion to your chest, which causes him to turn a deep shade of pink, nervous beads of sweat appearing on his face. "I don't have much else to speak of...Not really sure what you're seeing here." You half ramble, not really sure of what to say, your thoughts just tumbling out of your mouth in a weak mutter. Korosensei suddenly lowers himself down to your height, surprising you as his bright pink face is level with yours. You feel your heart rate speed up, a small gasp escaping your mouth as you feel his hands cup your face.

"Oh dear, [Name]-Sensei! Now, why in the world would you say something like that, hmmm?"

"Because it's true! I don't have any real skills to speak of, and I'm not exactly a model here! **Why the hell are you even gushing over me!**?" You shout, that last sentence coming out in English. Your voice is deeper and more bitter than you thought, a small chuckle escaping out of your throat as tears once again stream down your face. You hold back half choked sobs, an eerie laugh erupting out of you in between breaths. You really were a complete wreck; how embarrassing. He must really think I'm quite pathetic, huh? You lament, closing your eyes to try and stem the flow of tears. You feel him shift a little then, something hard pressing up your right cheek for a few moments. You blearily attempt to open your right eye, tears still blurring your vision as an odd mesh of yellow and pink fills your almost nonexistent field of view. You feel various soft things start to wrap around your body, which you can only assume are Korosensei's tentacles, a couple of them gently caressing your back and shoulders. You found it kind of relaxing, despite the odd feeling emerging in your stomach, causing you to squirm a bit.

"Now stop that kind of talk! You aren't useless, and if you think you are..." He says, his voice taking on a soothing tone despite its firmness. You can feel his appendages wipe away your tears, tissues starting to form a small pile on the floor. You sense an odd warmth from him, which is only accentuated by the twinkle in his eyes as you stare at him. "...Then I'll have to teach you otherwise!" He winks at that statement, his long arms bringing you in for an odd hug and caressing you gently, causing a small smile to light up your face. You enjoy the feeling of his warmth against you, both his odd clothes and skin soft and smooth, though you wouldn't dare say it to his face. _What are you, a screaming toddler_? 'You' taunt yourself, trying to steal away the small bit of comfort, the small bit of happiness you were feeling right now. You just grip a little tighter onto his odd robe, feeling Korosensei's heart beat rapidly against his chest. Were you imagining things? No...He couldn't...He's just that nice of a person, you remind yourself, thinking back to the times he would comfort the students. Yeah...He's so nice. He shouldn't waste his time with me...You lament, a sad smile flirting against your face. You try to pull against him, though his arms are still holding you in place against him. They loosen almost immediately as his head turns your way, his eyes twinkling as he looks at you.

"Uhm...I'm okay now. S-s-sorry! You can put me down now, Korosensei..." You mutter, feeling a bit ashamed of your odd behavior. The large octopus only offers you a large grin; his gaze oddly understanding.

"It's quite alright...This probably was quite a shock for you. I admit I feel somewhat responsible; seeing as their target was supposed to be me..." He says, almost forlornly as he avoids looking at you. You just carefully take your hand and cup it to his face, causing him to make a tiny squeak of his own, not really sure what you were doing. You just didn't like hearing him sound like that, much preferring his usual cheery cadence.

"No, don't blame yourself...I chose to act as a shield and I'd do it again too, if I had the chance. After all, what kind of a teacher doesn't protect their students from harm?" You ask, a small grin lighting up your face. That sounds like something she would have said, the thought causing you to look down for a a couple seconds. Poor thing...If only...you could have died instead of her. You didn't know the details, but whatever accident she was in, you horribly wished you could have substituted yourself in her place.

"See? You're so much more beautiful when you smile!" He says warmly, that odd pink color once again on his cheeks, slowly forming around his entire head. His words take you by surprise, a small squeal erupting out of your mouth as you feel your face flush hotly.

"However," He starts, his gaze as serious as it can be while he is bright pink and blushing like a huge idiot. "You...seem all too quick to sacrifice yourself. That isn't right; though I do agree with protecting the children from harm." You just offer him a small nod, not exactly sure how to respond to his words, his numerous tentacles lifting you up and placing you back on the chair. You were a little disappointed, you admit, wishing that you could have stayed like that a little longer. _No...What am I thinking...?_ You wonder, though you supposed that was probably due to the crappy mood you were in right now. He had at least made you feel a little bit better. Once you were feeling more up to it, and had Nagisa help with research, you'd definitely bake him that cake, or two...Maybe he'd need three, considering how big he was, you guessed. You just pushed that thought aside for now, focusing your attention back on Korosensei.

"...I don't know. I just didn't want to see the kid hurt. Wasn't really thinking about myself at that moment. Hmm..." You mutter, trying to once again control the conversation. You'd made him worry about you enough for one day; you were mortified on having to rely on him. You just sigh, being careful to not step on any of his limbs as you slide off the chair. You just give him a tired smile, grabbing your bag full of things and turning to face him once again.

"Ah...I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. W-well, I need to go, as...interesting as this was. Have errands to run, y'know..." You sheepishly respond, giving a small awkward, bow, not too sure on how to exactly extrapolate yourself from this situation. It wasn't that you did not want to stay longer. But you had things to do, your mind going back to the kind mother and daughter pair who ran the bar in town. Besides, Korosensei probably had his own errands to attend to; you shouldn't keep him. Said teacher only gave you a look of understanding, though you thought you could see a hint of sadness in those black eyes.

"Yes, I understand [Name]-Sensei...Well, the least I can do is see you off; the mountain is quite dangerous this time of day." He offers, which you are partially thankful for. It was getting quite late out, going by the reddening color of the sky outside. You might have stayed longer than you intended...

"H-huh?" You just stare back at him in confusion. _What? I didn't even think of it...Y_ ou realize, turning your head to glance at the path back to town, then at Korosensei once more. His face wore that usual grin, yet you swore you could read something else there. He just responds with a small chuckle, the sound making you feel terribly guilty. Of course he couldn't leave the mountain; why hadn't you realized that sooner? That must be very lonely...You think, comparing it partly to your own situation. Though, you admit, that was mostly by choice; you had chosen to come to Japan and teach disenfranchised children. You also chose to spend most of your time indoors, though you did venture out on occasion. This was nothing like that; being contained and forced into staying here. He probably got out less than you did, Korosensei's only socialization being with the students, you assume. That was pretty sad, and heartbreaking.

"Oh, don't worry about me. You should really get going; didn't you say you had errands to take care of? And your apartment is still quite a ways from here, is it not?" You just look down at the ground, shame creeping up your face, unable to meet his gaze. He seemed to guess what you were feeling, as his face started to change color again, though it was hard for you to tell in the dimming light of the evening. His eyes, however, still had an odd twinkle to them, one that made your neck hairs stand on end and heart race.

"Ah, yeah...I...I just..." You stammer out, too embarrassed to finish your sentence. You could feel his stare on you, making you feel extremely self-conscious. Rubbing the back of your neck with your hand, you just ignore the feeling building up in your stomach.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then...K-korosensei..." You weakly mutter, the sound of his name on your tongue making you feel uncomfortable. You realize that this is first time you've actually said his name, making the moment even more awkward for you. If he noticed, he does not show it, offering you a small bow of his own, his usual grin plastered onto his face.

"I look forward to working with you tomorrow as well, [Name]-Sensei! Be careful and sweet dreams."


	3. Time for Teaching

A/N: Okay, after this chapter the parallels to Teachers Petting will stop. Seriously, if you enjoy the idea but hate my execution , not too confident myself here, go read it on ao3. Now, I have the uncensored version up elsewhere but honestly not anything has been censored yet; this will prob change later.

If only I could do something...You think, your feet absentmindedly clomping against the sidewalk, your cane in your hand as it weaves to and fro across the ground. Wait, why do I care...? He's going to destroy the Earth in a year, right? But...From the small bits I've seen, Koro doesn't seem like a bad guy...Then again, who am I to judge? You internally argue with yourself, your head blankly staring downwards at the ground to watch for any dips in the terrain. It was stupid; you were an idiot for thinking of it. You knew barely anything about him, aside from the small things you could deduce in your few weeks of working with the odd octopus.

"Still...To be stuck there alone. Even if he is a dangerous weapon, or artificial whatever...That just sucks." You mutter under your breath, speaking your thoughts aloud. You emphasized with his situation, somewhat, as you knew what it felt like to be left to your own devices and ignored. Then again, after a long day of teaching, you found that kind of solace comforting. But not all the time; you could at least go out into the city to hear people's voices, to drown out the incessant humming of your own thoughts. The poor guy couldn't even do that much, stuck on the mountain like he was. It made your chest feel heavy, like there was a weight pushing you down. Odd. You never emphasized so strongly with someone before...What was happening to you?

You break out of the melancholy of your thoughts when you notice the fluorescent lighting and signage of Azusa's bar, a small grin lighting up your features. Maybe a quick drink would help, and you were hungry; you had promised to go see them anyway, so now probably wouldn't be a bad time. Besides, looking at your phone, it was still an hour or so until the next bus. You might as well pass the time spending it with people you could tolerate. The door jingles as you push it open, being careful to hold your cane in a way that did not obstruct yourself or other people, keeping it vertically against you.

You watch as Azusa turns your way, her face cheery as she prepares to give you a warm welcome. Oh, she looks lively today. You think, her skin less pale and her body more full of energy than you have seen it in a while. Maybe the cancer was losing, you hoped. Maybe the chemotherapy was having an effect. Her bright smile turns into a frown as soon as her eyes focus on your neck, which was still covered with bandages to hide the bruises and burns from the accident, her eyes and mouth widening in surprise as she nearly yells at you.

"What the hell happened, [Name]-San?" You just sigh as you make your way to the bar, nearly clambering over the seats that were too tall for you, ordering dinner for the night along with a small drink. You watch as her pupils dilate once more, her eyes taking in your full bandaged form, the intensity of her stare worrying you and making you feel guilty. Unfortunately, you could not tell them about your situation with the school, not wanting them to be involved in your mess. So, you told her that you had a bad fall up the mountain, which wasn't exactly a lie. You sometimes did take a tumble or two, usually due to heavy rains the day before or a slight misstep because you were cocky and didn't use your cane. That wasn't so far fetched they wouldn't believe it. Right? You still felt awfully guilty for lying to them however, even if you told yourself if it was for their own benefit.

You decide to give her a quick summary of the days events, of course leaving out the grenade explosion and the fact that your fellow teacher was an artificial octopus created in a lab, even going so far to pantomime his words a little. Thankfully this seemed to calm Azusa down, her small eighteen year old daughter finally appearing from the back of kitchen to greet you as well. Hotaru was looking as fine as ever, considering her mother's circumstances and the fact that she was handling a job and full time school life. They just watch as you echo his odd movements, you ignoring the patrons that gave you odd looks as they came into the bar; usually the odd businessperson or college student. His voice was difficult to imitate, your voice going as high pitched as you can make it as you repeat some of things he told you earlier that day. It didn't sound so bad to you, who already had a decent memorization of the sounds his voice made.

"He was like 'You think that you're just an extra, so easily replaced?', you know? It was kinda weird…Even for him."

"Sounds like someone has a crush! Oooh, who is it [Name]-San!?"

You nearly spit out your drink, needing refreshment after the toil on your vocal chords, the suddenness of what was said making you only stare at the small girl across the counter. Still, you were glad you could help make her day a bit more normal, more like other kids her age. Damn the brain tumor, damn Azusa's cancer...You internally grit your teeth, not wanting to let the anger show, taking another long sip of your alcoholic beverage. The small girl only gives you a wink and a smile, her mother wearing a similar grin as she moves around to deal with other customers. The chatter was quite loud, making it difficult for you to make out specifics because of the background noise, yet you thought you heard a familiar voice in all of it. Then again, you were probably imagining things; you have been preoccupied with a lot lately.

"A crush!? N-n-no, that couldn't be it, could it?" You sputter out in response, the flush spreading over your cheeks once again, the piece of takoyaki nearly falling out of your mouth to land on the counter before you grabbed it in mid air. You seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Hotaru only gives you a small smile, her mother finally done with the other customers and making her way back to you. Her eyes seem almost predatory as she glares at you, though there is an odd inkling of kindness in them. At least you hoped it was.

"Oh, [Name]-San! Who are they?"

"H-huh? I'm not...He's a fellow teacher for gods sake! He-he was just being considerate, is all! Don't look into it so hard...Wouldn't that be unethical?" You ask, the butterflies in your stomach returning. Besides, after that awful display you just showed him, you highly doubt he'd want anything to do with you. Self-doubt nags at you, causing you to let out a rather loud sigh. Azusa only smiles at you, though you feel your paranoia start to kick in again. You were being rather loud and obnoxious, you felt, though there were plenty of other people in her small bar tonight. You just carefully turn your head to the side, watching Hotaru easily offer an unusually tall gentleman his drink, before nearly sprinting back to you. It seemed that they were also focusing on you, their round face a blur because of their distance. Weirdo...

"You're both adults, aren't you? And from what you said, he might like you back. Why not at least give it a shot?"

"B-Because!" You begin to stammer out, now completely ignoring the takoyaki in front of you. It just looked completely unappetizing now. "I just spilled my eyes out in front of the guy in a manic depressive fit! No sane person would want to—" Her hard glare stops you, your words dying in your throat, along with the odd feeling that someone else was eyeing you. You didn't really care; let them gossip. Not like you knew them at all.

"Dammit, [Name]-San! Why are you constantly like this!? You are fine the way you are! Everybody has bad days; this was just one of yours!" You feel sick from her accusations, not wanting to hear her well intentioned lies. She was a sweet woman, and her daughter was precious, but they didn't really need to stand up for you. It wasn't worth their time. You were just some worthless garbage; no one here would miss you if you were gone. You feel embarrassment rush across your face, slamming your head against the counter and relishing in the pain. What is wrong with me? They have enough to deal with on their own; they don't need to listen to me bitch about my problems. Goddammit, Hotaru-Chan's only eighteen...You feel your hands tightly wrap around your hair, pulling on it in an exasperated fashion.

"Whatever...Hotaru-chan, can you just wrap up the takoyaki to go for me? I'm feeling quite full already." You ask, not wanting to disturb their place of business any longer with your foul mood. You weren't really full, but you just wanted to go home; the takoyaki could wait till then. Azusa just gives you a look, which you shrug off, a smile on your face as you begin to bend down and pick up your purse on the floor.

"Are you sure? It's quite late out, you know. Not a great time for someone as pretty as you to go out alone." You feel your face flush at her concern, shaking your head vehemently. All you needed was to get to the bus stop, then you would be fine. You try to play it off cooly, not wanting to worry her.

"Nah, it's fine!" You bluff, your hand stopping in your purse as it hits the Manila envelope. You really did not want Azusa to see that; she would be livid, headstrong independent woman that she was. You liked that about her, maybe even envied it a little. If only you could be that strong...

"Hotaru-Chan's got it, right? B-besides," You nervously mutter, glancing to the other side of the bar for a second. That odd businessman was still there, though his head was laying down on the table; you couldn't tell which way he was facing, only able to make out the faintest details such as the color of his grey suit. "That poor guy seems a little off...Maybe you should give 'im a hand." You comment, Azusa finally turning her attention away from you long enough for you to slip the medium sized envelope, and the required money for the food, into Hotaru's hands. The girl quickly pockets the former, using the latter as a bluff to hide the crinkling sounds. Spending time with these two isn't so bad...You think, easily adjusting your short legs so the chair swivels around, stepping on the floor as you stumble forward.

"I'm fine..." You reassure the two, or three, of them. Easily taking out your cane and unfolding it so that it was once again usable as a mobility device. You fished around for another object, being careful to avoid getting in people's way as they moved through the small bar. You easily finger the cool metal, your hand going to the switch as you headed for the doorway. You gave a quick bow, waving goodbye to the pair before heading out in the darkness of the night, flashlight ready...

"So...Might as well get started, shouldn't we?" You question, looking at the large stack of papers before you. It was the beginning of the day, classes not yet ready to begin, the three of you calmly enjoying a moment of quiet in the staff room before the kids arrive. Might as well get some work done before the day begins and you lose the drive to do anything. You just grab a stack of them, setting them on the table next to your device. Unfortunately, with this number of them you'd rather not risk the margarine that using a regular magnifying glass wools cause. So you settled on your less portable device, the large CCTV like monitor that plugged into one of the few outlets in the room, a small camera like object attached to it. You carefully place the papers underneath the scope, waiting as they refocus on the monitor above before you sit down. You carefully put your arm on the desk surface, using the monitor as a guide to track your hand as you worked through the questions. You can feel the two of them staring at you, ignoring the odd feeling along your neck as you just did your job, going along tests one by one. It took a few minutes before you settled on a steady rhythm, the pressure of their eyes on you finally lessening after they took their own seats.

It was quite annoying at how fast he was able to grade the papers, his tentacles zipping through them at an incredible pace, almost as if he was mocking you. You knew that this wasn't the case, but it still made you feel inferior, your face heating up in shame. Damn him, for being so good...Why was he so amazing at everything!?

"Don't mind me. Take your time, [Name]-Sensei." Korosensei remarks, making you stiffen in your seat in surprise. Dammit...You hoped he hadn't caught you watching, but of course he did...You felt embarrassment creep up your cheeks, your gaze turning back to the monitor and a particularly difficult kanji you had been struggling to decipher for the past couple minutes. If only their handwriting wasn't so hard to read...You had lived here for at least five years now, and had grasped speaking the language quite well; writing it however was another thing entirely. The minute differences in some of the symbols were almost impossible for you to make out, accessibility equipment or no. You just hold the paper near your face, squinting at it over your glasses for a few seconds before you notice it leave your hand suddenly, a tiny gasp escaping your mouth as you feel his soft tendrils brush against your hand. It was only for a couple seconds, yet you felt as if it lasted much longer, an odd feeling almost like an electrical current running through your body. Indeed, it did feel as if you had been shocked, your heart racing wildly as you looked over at him.

"...I see. This is [Kid]'s paper isn't it? Ah, I understand why you were tripped up; the particular way they shorthanded this character is quite different from how it's usually written." He explains, putting the paper back underneath the magnifying apparatus for you to see what he was talking about. You watch as he easily moves the papers you had yet to do aside, procuring an empty sheet of paper and regular pen. You watch carefully as he writes down the character, once in its traditional style and another in the exact same shorthand the student was using.

"Hmm..." You study the symbol, its meaning becoming more clear as you understood the differences in strokes.

"Got it now, thanks Koro." You remark, truly grateful for the help, though you were slightly embarrassed by it. You turn your head to face him, surprise making your heart skip a beat as you notice the color of his skin. It was green with stripes, yet for some reason the stripes were slightly pinkish instead of their usual yellow. Weird...

"Hehehe, no problem at all, [Name]-Sensei. It is the job of seniors to teach their juniors, after all."

"Uhm, excuse me!? If anything, I'm the senior one here, not you!" You jokingly shout, a small smile forming on your face. This guy...

"Oh, really now?"

"Yes, really!" You start, leaning over in your chair to point your finger at him, failing to notice his beady eyes focusing on your chest. He just offers another large grin, the stripes on his face fading away so he is mostly bright pink.

"What are you thinking?" You taunt, causing Korosensei to recoil as if he was in pain, beads of sweat dripping down his round face.

"N-nothing! Definitely not something weird, either!" He stammers, causing an odd warmth to spread through your chest, your eyes narrowing mischievously now that you had him cornered.

"Yeah, says the guy who hides his copies of 'Biweekly Busty Babes' in the "secret compartment" on the locked leftmost drawer in the front desk..." You coyly remark, along with added quotes for emphasis, delighting in his visceral response, which was to turn a bright shade of pink and sputter out barely coherent half-sentences.

"Wh-Wh-H-How did you!"

"Was it really that secretive? I just felt something was off with the wood paneling..." You say, causing him to glare at you, making your stomach tighten into even bigger knots. You feel your face heat up at the intensity of his gaze, a sigh escaping your lips.

"Look, I don't really care about it. I mean, as long as the kids can't get into it...Guys...they...it's just something they do, yeah?" You ask innocently, causing him to sputter in protest once again.

"Anyway!" You embarrasedly shout as you wave your arms frantically, trying to do anything from continuing the current topic at hand. Eyeing a familiar sprout of blue hair from the partially open doorway, you rush over to it, Nagisa's startled face in front of you.

"S-Sensei..."

"Oh, Nagisa-kun, what do you need!?" You half-shout, nearly dragging the boy into the room, much to his embarrassed dismay. You realize just then, with a sinking stomach, that you accidentally called the boy by his first name; a big taboo in Japanese, if you remembered correctly. However, if he noticed it, the shy child certainly didn't let you know, his gaze roaming around the small staff room.

"W-Well...it's about yesterday...uhm..." He starts, his voice soft and quiet from nervousness. You just offer him a kind smile, putting one hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, that? Don't worry about it! I'm fine!" You half-lie, feeling the hard gazes of the other teachers on you, making a knot start to form in your stomach. He doesn't need to worry; He's a goddamn kid, for Christ's sake! The only thing he should worry about is getting his grades up enough to leave E-Class. You think, though you can feel a small chill in the air, almost like the temperature dropped a few degrees. The short haired boy only offers you a nod, his worried eyes seeming to steady at your response.

"Was that all you were concerned about, Shiota-kun? Hahaha, you better get ready for the afternoon lessons! They might be more difficult than usual." You say, your tone unusually jovial as you usher the small child out the door. You can still feel the stares of your fellow teachers on you as the door closes shut, knowing that they both sensed the false emotion in your words. Whatever. It wasn't for them; it was for the kids. You turn around with a sigh, coming face to face with an irritated Karasuma, though the octopus wasn't far behind.

"...What? I'm fine, really. It doesn't really hurt anymore." You protest, not truly lying but not totally telling the truth either. It wasn't lying really; the aches had mostly faded away to a dull pain now, though some of burns still stung when you moved certain ways. Karasuma just shakes his head, his brows furrowed.

"...You are quite stubborn, aren't you?"

"You don't need to worry about—" You feel something wrap around your shoulder then, a chill creeping up your spine as Korosensei blocked the path to the doorway.

"That's exactly why we need to worry! You don't seem to understand your limits. You came right back to work after the grenade incident; you should have at least taken a sick day or two off! I might have patched you up, but your body and mind still need time to heal." He sternly comments, making you a bit frustrated at the two of them. You weren't a child; you could take care of yourself. A few aches and bruises weren't going to stop you from helping these kids! You knew what you signed up for when you were in the principal's office; you weren't going to back down now.

"Thanks for looking out for me, but I can do this! Just because I'm not a military personnel officer or...a hired killer doesn't mean I can't hack it. I've been teaching longer than any of you, goddammit!" You cry out in anger, watching as his color changes from its usual yellow to a light blue. That just made you more angry; you didn't need their pity, you wallowed in your own self-pity enough lately. You could feel the sting of tears as they began to flow from your eyes, internally cursing at your own weakness. Why now? Why did you have to break down now, of all times? You quickly turned away from the two of them, wiping your eyes with your sleeve. You can feel a tentacle wrap itself around your other shoulder and turn you to face him, making you blush even harder as your eyes met. There was an odd fire in his expanding pupils, a smoldering determination that left you frazzled and confused.

"Neither of us doubt your abilities, [Name]-Sensei. We are both simply concerned as your fellow teachers. You are an important part of this assassination classroom, whether you are willing to admit that or not. I...I admit I probably would have hard time of doing all of this on my own." He partially lied, all three of you knowing otherwise. He would have had no trouble teaching this class without you; he was just lying to make you feel better. Why did he even bother, you wonder. You weren't anything special; yet here he was attempting to lift your spirits. It was almost enough to send you over the edge once more, but you bit the inside of your mouth, using the slight pain as a focal point to stay strong. You decide to play along with his charade, not wanting the depressing mood to stay in the room any longer. You offer him a tiny smirk, one of your eyebrows arching upward as you grab the front of his robe and give it a small tug. His face alights with surprise, pupils turning into white orbs of shock, clearly not expecting the maneuver, his cheeks flushing pink as his round head bumps into your nose.

"Well," You start to drawl, ignoring the furious pounding of your heart against your chest. "When you put it like that...I guess I can't just up and leave now, can I?"

Korosensei only responds with a small, nervous, laugh. You daringly take the initiative, leaning in to give him a small, light peck on the cheek, quickly parting with as neutral an expression as you can manage in your flustered state. You can feel his form tremble a little, his usually calm breathing now uneven as you turn around, covering your face with your hand. What the hell were you thinking? Just up and doing that...With Karasuma in the room, too, no less! Well...If he wants to play with me, I can play back! You argue, doing your best to ignore the odd stare from Karasuma as you make it back to your seat. You just cough loudly, too loudly for it to be normal, your voice oddly strained as you turn to the military officer.

"What are you doing standing around? We still have many more papers to grade!"

He just looks at you for a moment, then at the trembling octopus, who had now turned a shade of bright pink, tentacles covering his blushing face. You just snort, a wicked grin coming over your features as you narrow your eyes. Karasuma just sighs, shaking his head as he returns to his laptop, easily clicking away like nothing had happened. You had to admit, he had some fierce nerves.

"As long as you are fit to teach, [Name]-Sensei. Good to see your spirits have lifted..." He mutter from behind his screen, though his tone sounded a bit off. Was he actually embarrassed? You just let out a small chuckle, easily returning to your work. The day wasn't over just yet...

.Tap. It was an incessant noise, one that your sense of hearing was easily able to distinguish above the ordinary classroom chatter. Your hand stops in it's flowing movements, the scratching of chalk against the board ceasing for a moment as you turn around to a row of blurred, vaguely indistinguishable faces.

"Which one of you is using your phone in class? I can hear you; come clean now or you will regret it." You say, your voice almost a growl as you finish that last sentence, your eyes narrowing through your thick lenses. Several of the kids make a small gasp of surprise, a couple of them shifting in their seats, though quite a few ignore you outright. You focus your attention on those few, taking a small object out of your pocket and bringing it up to your good eye. You watch as their forms come into better focus, your thumb carefully adjusting the scope to reveal the usual bundle of troublemakers. One of Terasaka's friends, perhaps? No...You shouldn't be so quick to judge, but they did seem to be the most likely culprits. Letting out a small sigh, you step towards that particular row of desks. Glaring at the young man, whose name you cannot remember at this moment, you calmly walked around to the front of their desk.

"[Kid]-San, how many times...do I and Korosensei have to tell you not to have your phone out in class!? You're disrupting the students who actually want to learn and accomplish something with their lives!" You say, your tone harsh as you offer out a hand to take the offending device. The kid just gives you a sour look, both of his hands moving from underneath his desk, no such cell phone in hand as they enter your field of view. What? He has an odd grin on his face as he speaks up, his eyes gleaming devilishly.

"Phone? What phone?" You grit your teeth, knowing that he is playing you for an idiot. About time one of these kids gave you some lip; they were quite well behaved so far. Quite different from how your previous years acted. This was something more in line with what you were used to, the snotty, defiant, punk kids who went by their own rules. Well, he was no Karma, that's for sure...You motion for him to get up off of his desk, which he does with a grumble, feeling anger surge inside of you, a deep flash of heat. You didn't have time for this bullshit...

"Pockets. Empty them. Now." You snarl, watching as the child's confident grin turns into a frown of displeasure, said apparatus finally appearing in their clenched, white knuckled fist. You easily take the item, the boy giving it up with little to no fight, stuffing it in the pocket of your blazer. You'd keep it until the end of the school day; as a punishment. You turn to said child, still giving you a glare that you understood was a promise for revenge.

"Interrupt class again, and you're standing out in the hallway. Now," You begin to turn around, addressing the rest of the class in a much more relaxed tone. "Where did we leave off? Isogai-kun, can you please help me remember?" Said class president shifts in his seat, you offering him a kind smile as you walk back up to the board. Thankfully, his voice echoes across the classroom in a few seconds, making an odd sort of warmth bubble up in your gut. God, he was such a good kid. It's a wonder how he ended up in the End Class.

"Yes, [Name]-Sensei. I think we were covering…"


	4. Time for Embarrassment Part One

**AN: Sorry if the protagonist is completely unrelatable to you guys. I'm not sure how normal people work, so I can't really write from that perspective, sight wise. You can always overlook those details if it makes you feel better...Was thinking of a couple ideas, but didn't want to plagiarize anymore, so I went with the lesser of two evils. Still feel bad about it though...sorry for the illogical cliche. It's so bad but I wanted to so here it is!**

"No, that's no good...Mmm..." You mutter under your breath, circling ' _He seems to prefer fruit flavors'_ with your pen, adjusting your position so that the sun wasn't in the way of your phone display. The one good thing, maybe, that you were able to get out of being injured was an excuse to skip physical education for a bit; though participating in the exercises was your own decision as a part to try and better yourself. Well, that didn't mean you couldn't watch the students, or at least attempt to spend the small hour or so outside, considering you barely went out enough as it was to get sunlight. It's not like you really had to do anything else, and it was nice to get a break from teaching. Though, you internally chided youself, looking this stuff up wasn't much different. You just sigh, using your monocular to scan the rows of exercising students hard at work on their drills. They seemed to be batting around a tiny yellow ball, using their Anti-Sensei knives. It bore a pretty uncanny resemblance to the yellow teacher, who was currently going off somewhere again. He was quite speedy; able to travel across the world in only a matter of minutes or hours, usually on the fancy of his own odd whims. It was a bit surprising to you how he was able to go about doing that. Being a world secret, and a nonhuman at that, you were surprised at how the government just let him go. What if he never came back?

You pause in thought for a moment, an odd chill coming over you, scouring through your tiny bag you have next to you on the steps, looking at the copy of the notes you had received from Nagisa. They really were useful; he had grasped quite a few of Korosensei's weaknesses. Then again, that isn't exactly what you were after; though a voice in the back of your head said to keep it in mind. You just scan through various websites on your phone, trying to find things that might work. You weren't amazing when it came to cooking, but following a recipe was simple enough. Though, trying to understand the differences between Japanese and Western sweeets was another hurdle; you'd lived in Japan for a few years now, yet their oddly flavored pastries and confections never quite suited your tastes. It wasn't that they were bad tasting; you enjoyed a couple of their different flavor combinations, but you usually opted to go for what you knew best.

Yet, trying to use that knowledge to make desserts for another person, whose palate was different from yours, was proving to be more of a challenge than you thought. You flip to another post on the website, showing a picture of an oddly shaped confection with the list of ingredients. _This maybe? Doesn't seem too hard..._ You guess, mentally reading off the list of ingredients you would need and taking a careful look at the flavor profile of said dish. It wouldn't do any good if it was something he hated, after all. Though you had a sneaking feeling Korosensei was fine with eating anything, seeing how he easily devoured most of the snacks brought in for that science experiment yesterday. You let out a small chuckle at the thought; he really was childlike, in an oddly endearing sort of way. The unusual sensation of a chill running down the back of your neck made you pause, turning your head towards the source of the feeling.

 **"Oh, great..."** You mutter, a sadly familiar shock of blurred red hair entering your field of vision. That could only mean one thing; Karma was back. You attempted to mentally steel yourself for what was coming; a hard day of trying to get this kid under control. Which, was more or less kind of impossible, considering who you were up against... _No. This ain't my first tango with you, kiddo. I can figure you out..._ You think, just watching as the small boy walks across the grass to the steps you were sitting on. His face is pulled up into a sneer, those eyes twinkling dangerously as he slides his hand into his pocket.

You barely react in time, thanks to your still healing body and precarious position, letting out a garbled squeak as something tiny and bright flies at your face. You feel your heart stop for a second, as your brain registers the situation, your eyes failing to process it in time. A familiar wispy tentacle is wrapped around the handle of said object, which you finally realize is a knife. Not an anti-Sensei knife, but a small metal blade; used to hurt regular people. What the hell was this kid doing?

"Hehehe...Sorry, [Name]-San. I forgot for a second there..." Karma condescendingly remarks, a twisted smile on his face. "I can't really kill _you_ , now can I? Even though...that would be a tempting idea." You just sigh and glare at the boy, your brows furrowing as you open your to mouth to try and speak. You lose your chance however, as Korosensei's voice echoes out from pretty close behind you, making your heart race, his tone an odd mix of stern and joyful.

"Now, now Karma-kun! If you're going to be joining the assassination classroom, the least you could do is put in a little effort; looking up your target and their weaknesses is the most basic of basics."

Said teen only turned his, or rather your way, his eyes glinting in that manner you were so familiar with. The way that all children who eventually dropped to the End Class took on; a cynical and forlorn gleam. Though his was masked slightly by his brashness and intense malice, which you could strongly feel even from here. A devious smile painted his lips, the cold words he said next making you shudder a bit.

"Whatever. I just really wanna gut a teacher, is all. Monster or not, doesn't really matter to me." You feel your stomach turn at his last phrase; the word 'monster' in particular making your stomach drop. Sure, Koro wasn't human, but maybe calling the guy a monster went a little too far. _Even for the guy who's going to blow up the planet in a year?_ You hear, a frown painting your face as you attempt to stand up, pointing a finger at the retreating boy as he starts walking down the steps. You do notice that he is courteous enough to leave your things alone, avoiding stepping on the papers and phone near you. Though he does pick up your copy of Nagisa's notes, pocketing it for himself with a smirk.

"Akabane Karma! That is no way to talk to a teacher!" The teen just ignores you, the other students finally noticing the return of their old classmate, several of them breaking away from the group to greet the redhead. Nagisa was the most enthusiastic of the bunch, though he did appear hesitant at first. That's right, they had been classmates for quite a while now. It was only because of Karma's suspension last year that he was not present in your class along with the others. An odd sound from near you causes you to turn around slightly, curiosity compelling you. Said 'monster' was just standing in front you, though he appeared to be busily chewing something, and you noticed that the knife was gone. Wait, what?

" **What the f—"** You catch yourself before the words fully form, even knowing that the kids couldn't understand them, still taking a few seconds to process the situation.

"You just...ate the knife, yeah? Like, it's g-gone, but it _was_ here, and then you—" You stutter, your words coming out in an odd mush, probably nonconprehensible to native speakers.

"Of course! Leaving it around would only bring trouble. I don't want other...people finding it and getting ideas." He replies, something about his wording making you feel on edge. He said _people_ not _students_ , which made the hairs on the back of your neck prickle. He couldn't have...No. You attempt to steer the conversation in another direction, a small smirk appearing on your face.

"I'll warn you, man. That Akabane kid is trouble...He...is more of a typical class E student than most of them. Even Terasaka. I've taught them for long enough to know; yet he was suspended last year. Still, watch out for him..."

He just gives you a small smirk, the corners of his mouth turning up as his eyes narrow at you, stripes forming on his face.

"Thank you for the warning, [Name]-Sensei. However, I don't believe I'll have much trouble with him." You just shake your head, turning your gaze back to the boy with his classmates, who was still eyeing the two of you out of the corner of his vision. _He has no idea..._ You are distracted by the noise of paper rustling, your heart nearly stopping as you see Korosensei examining the cake ideas you wrote down earlier. _Oh shit, oh no, no, shit!_ You mentally panic, remembering your own potentially embarrassing notes you had scribbled in the margins, before a thought crosses into your brain. He can't read English, can he? You had translated them from their original Japanese to English, just because you had some difficulty getting the exact measurements correct. If only the States used the same metric system as every other part of the world. He was staring at them so intently, you wondered if he could actually make out your shorthand.

"Eh...I was busy researching the differences between Western and Eastern sweets. You see, I've never really had a...taste for Japanese desserts, despite living here for quite a while. Yet, I enjoy their Western equivalents quite a bit..." Your words tumble out of your mouth, not really a lie but not totally the truth either. You didn't want him to find out your plan, else the surprise would all be for naught. You do feel like you're being watched, probably the children and Karasuma as their steps sounded much closer than before, making you even more anxious as your stomach tied itself into knots. The octopus looks up from the paper, giving you a look that you can only describe as playful, the odd stripes still around his head.

"Hmmm...Is that so? Looks like you've been putting a lot of thought into this." You just feel your face start to warm up involuntarily, though you attempt to keep your mouth neutral despite the twitching of your cheeks. If only you were better at lying...You lament, trying to keep your voice at an even keel as you speak. You feel your heart race, an idea suddenly forming in your brain.

"Yeah, I'm kinda picky when it comes to food...Hey!" You shout at him, gesturing for Korosensei to come closer. He does, tilting his head curiously, sitting down next to you on the step. You feel your words hitch in your throat, a little bothered by your proximity to one another, but try to force them out anyway.

"You've got a thing for sweets, yeah? Any recommendations?" He only gives you a long stare, his eyes narrowing as his smirk grows even wider, his face very close to yours. _He knows, doesn't he?_ You feel your mouth twitch a little, the corners turning up in an awkward unnatural smile, your pupils dilating in anxiety.

"Nyuhuhuhu...I can think of a few things, based on these notes you've so...meticulously thought out." You freeze, knowing exactly what his statement meant. _Son of a bitch!_ You feel your hands start to twitch, wanting to grab the papers out of his hands and tear them up so no one else can read them. It was mortifying; then again, you really only had yourself to blame. He was an artificially created life form, surely mastering a language or two wasn't difficult for him. You suck in your breath, trying to calm your frazzled nerves. Which then became even more tense as an odd shrill noise erupts from nearby, making the two of you involuntarily jump in surprise, your butt landing on the space between a step and the next. Even Korosensei was unbalanced, his body shifting away as his face flushed pink, tentacles shrinking and wiggling away from you.

You could feel your body start to tilt to the side, papers and your bag flying everywhere in the rush of motion, as your arms waved about wildly in an attempt to grip something. You hear a small squeal as your hand grips onto unfamiliar fabric, the small boost of momentum being all that was needed to send the two of you flying down the stairs, your glasses falling unceremoniously off of your nose in the confusion. Or at least it felt like you were flying, in the brief seconds that seemed to go by like hours to your frazzled mind. You could only let out a small gasp of surprise, one that was quickly muffled when your mouth presses up against something that wasn't there a half second ago.

It was soft, and a bit sticky, its texture unfamiliar to your lips. You were honestly more focused on the _things_ you felt wrapping around your body to pay much attention to that, however, the tendrils pulling you even closer against the odd surface. You could feel your palms start to sweat with anxiety, gripping the fabric even tighter as you felt your body jostle from being flung down the steps. Though, oddly enough, it didn't really hurt, the things that you slowly began to realize were _tentacles_ keeping you still despite it all. _Oh god...oh oh oh oh god no. **No. I did not just**..._Your mind struggles to finish the thought, feeling your face heat up in shame. You realize, a little late, that he can probably feel that too, a small strangled noise coming out of your mouth.

You gingerly lift up your head, the world a multitude of blurred together colors, probably because you lost your glasses. One thing was abundantly clear however, and that was Korosensei's perplexed expression, his face a deep pink as you dumbly stared down at him. A strangled breath you didn't know you'd been holding escapes your lips, which feel oddly sensitive and tingly. It was your first time after all, albeit you had hoped for a better situation than the one currently happening. You can feel his tentacles partially release their grip on you, though some were still around your back, though you were still too dumbstruck to move anyway.

"I-I apologize! I-I..." You stumble over your words, which were oddly formal considering the situation. You resisted the urge to bolt off right then and there, shame and mortification making tears start to form at the corners of your eyes. _God, I am so pathetic...I can't..._ You press your hand to your face, hoping to hide your pathetic expression. A familiar, yet slightly panicked voice erupts from underneath you, causing your chest to ache.

"...Are y-you hurt at all? Anything feel off?" You shake your head no, your chest tightening at the words.

"N-no...I don't think so." You timidly answer back, watching his reaction. He only lets out a small sigh, his body shifting under yours as you feel him move into a sitting position, pulling you a bit closer.

"That's good..." You feel one of his tendrils gently pat your head, making you feel extremely self-conscious. You just crane your neck to look up at him, his round face flushing brightly as your eyes meet.

"...Sorry." Is the only thing you can think to say, causing him to tilt his head in confusion.

"Hm? Why are you apologizing?" His question now leaving _you_ confused, your voice shaky as you attempt to speak.

"W-well, I did accidentally...k-kiss you, y'k—" Your words are interrupted as you watch the features on his face distort wildly, almost comical in nature if you weren't so mortified.

" _That's what that was!?"_ He nearly shrieks, his color once again changing to a deep pink, though this spread to all over his body. You can feel his tentacles quiver underneath you, the ones gripping your back almost making you laugh at the ticklish sensation. _He had no clue...Shoulda kept my mouth shut._ You lament, now realizing your mistake, your stomach twisting and turning from the bundle of nerves you were slowly becoming. You wished you could crawl up into a ball and disappear. Your next words come out in a haze, your mind reeling.

"...Was it...bad?" Korosensei only sputters out incomprehensible gibberish, his arms and other appendages waving wildly.

" _B-bad!? That's—E-ehh—I-I—"_

"Oooooh, look at that! [Name]-Sensei and Korosensei _kissed_ , you guys!" You hear various voices shout, probably the students, laughter mixed in among them. You feel sick, rolling off of his sitting form in a heap on the grass. _This wasn't supposed to—Why?_ **Goddammit!** You scramble to your feet in a panicked rush, nearly falling over yourself in your embarrassed floundering as you try to distance yourself from both him and the clamoring students. You feel his gaze on you, making you hesitantly turn his way one last time.

"...D-don't listen to them! It was an a-accident, after all, r-right?" He weakly says, though his face is still a bright pink, nervous droplets of sweat pouring down his face. You nod your head, though you can feel your legs tremble as you start to head toward the steps.

"Y-yeah...Just an...accident. N-nothing to...f-f-freak out over!" You say that last sentence more loudly than intended, quickly turning away from him and attempting to walk up the steps. Which were a blurry mess, the tips of the footholds weaving in and out, nearly tripling before your eyes. You gingerly slide out your foot anyway, using the point where it hit the wood bottom as a guide to lift your leg up and over the step. You feel one of his tentacles tap you on the shoulder, making you turn your head his way, darkness being the only thing you see with your right eye.

"Forgetting something?" His voice rings out cheerily, another one of his wavering tentacles gently placing a familiar object on the bridge of your nose. The world suddenly comes into much needed focus, shapes and colors turning into actual objects. Or at least outlines of them.

"T-thank you S-sensei!" You sputter out, your cheeks once again turning a shade of red as you climb the stairs, gathering your bag and papers as quickly as you can. _Oh god, shut up shut up shut up!_ You yell at yourself, nearly running back into the building...

To say the rest of the day was awkward would be a complete understatement. Thankfully you were only teaching one more class for the day, Home Economics. Unfortunately, Karma was back in Class E and determined to make the rest of your day hell. And Korosensei's apparently, going by the angry shouts you heard from the classroom. You attempted to focus on your paperwork, busy in the staff room with Karasuma. The stern man was busy typing away at his laptop like always, apparently unaffected by the afternoon's incident.

A odd, soft rhythmic tapping stops you as you move onto the next paper, causing you to turn your head towards it. Korosensei is slamming his hand against the wall, a frown on his face as his temples throb in anger, the squishing sound continuing every time his fingers hit the wall. You walk toward the lanky figure, despite your initial hesitance to do so, an odd feeling welling up in your chest the closer you get. You notice that his face is slightly red, the usual color when he is agigtated, which makes you a little nervous. He never got really angry before, aside from the grenade incident, though you notice something seems off about his appearance.

"Hey, what's wrong? You're usually so calm and laid back..." You start to say, though you mutter the last part under your breath. " **It's worrying me..."**

"That Karma! He...he actually cut off my hand!"

He lets out a heavy sigh, still hitting the wall as he shows off his other hand. You stare at it for a moment, unsure of what is wrong, before it dawns on you. His left hand is missing a finger and part of the main tentacle, part of the odd bulbous appendage that made up his hand slowly bubbling. You watch in wonder as it starts to fix itself, the flesh mending together to form the odd lump, before starting to work on the finger. His expression is quite crestfallen, though you notice his eyes flicker brightly for a second as they meet yours. You let out an exhale of breath you didn't know you were holding in.

"Wow. That's actually...impressive. Are you scared or something?" You joke, a large smile spreading across your face as you hold up a finger. The familiar green stripes appear once more, his expression oddly joyous.

"Ha, you're joking! He got lucky, that's all!" You feel your heart lift at his improved mood, though you mentally chastise yourself for even thinking that way. _He's the enemy, isn't he? Why am I...?_ You muse, your inner doubts surfacing once again. Still, Korosensei's usual grin is a bit lackluster than usual, his eyes drooping as he crosses his arms over one another.

"Still...He's a tricky one. That little...He knows I can't overstep my bounds as a teacher, and he's doing everything he can to provoke me!" You laugh, a small chuckle erupting out of your mouth, a random surge of energy revitalizing you. Not out of malice, but some kind of sick, twisted glee. This is what you were good at; figuring out how to outfox students like these. You've had three years of experience dealing with them, after all. Good thing the octopus kept you around.

"What's so funny?" He questions, making you smile once again. You deepen your voice, posing dramatically with a flourish, doing the best accent you can with your lackluster Japanese.

"It's quite elementary, my dear. If you can't beat them, join them; as the saying goes!" Both him and Karasuma blankly stare at you, feeling your face heat up from embarrassment as you cover it with your hand.

"What I'm say—" You feel something soft press against your lips, Korosensei's round head giving you an odd smirk.

"What was that, [Name]-Sensei? Were you trying to cheer me up, perhaps?" You sputter at his words, wanting to vehemently deny them out of sheer spite. You couldn't deny the way your heart fluttered as the odd rosy color came over his cheeks though. Much better than that defeated look he wore earlier.

"Wh—What!? Ahahahaha!" You just laugh, not really too sure how to fend off his claim. You just shrug, leaning against the wall he had been so earnestly punching a few moments ago.

"Like I was tryin' to say, with a kid like him, you gotta fight fire with fire. Figure out what gets under his skin; and this, I can help with!" You eagerly go into details, explaining the best way to deal with troubling kids, using your experience as a teacher of three E classes to your advantage...


	5. Time for Recklessness

_I really hope they turned out well..._ You think, looking at the two desserts sitting on your counter. They weren't anything special; just a simple cake and tray of cookies covered in store bought frosting. You had decided to go with two different things, thinking you might as well make something small for the class, and maybe sneak a couple cookies for yourself while you were at it. You never really were a big fan of cake...Plus, he might not suspect as much than if you brought in only a single cake.

It's not like you had poisoned it or anything—in fact you had completely forgotten about that idea by the time you put the batter into the oven. After cursing your stupidity, you just wait for them to finally finish baking. Ah well, even if you forgot this time, you could probably think up a better idea later. He probably would have suspected it anyway; considering how many time the kids had tried to get him to eat things they had made. With no success, of course, thanks to his great sense of smell. That, or the poisons were only effective on humans...

"All I can do now is pray, hehe..." You nervously chuckle, closing the fridge door to let the sweets rest. Wouldn't want their frosting to melt off after all; it was going to be a pain bringing them both on the bus to town and up the damned mountain, but you figured you'd manage. You always figured it out somehow...

Walking away from the just cleaned kitchen, you let out a small sigh. That took longer than you thought it would, peering at the LCD clock on your counter. It was quite late at night, though thankfully you had your lesson plans done for the next couple weeks, yet you were still exhausted. So you slowly head to your bedroom, your mind abuzz with ideas and thoughts. A couple in particular stand out in your mind, taunting you, teasing you as you go into the bathroom. The buzz of the floursecent lights as they click is on is prominent to your ears, your eyes scanning for your toothbrush as they pointedly avoid the small mirror on the wall. You ignore the idea as soon as you notice the small plastic bowl, a tiny razor settled atop it, a compulsion coming over your mind. It was more like an urge, maybe, you weren't sure...You only know you were too tired to deny it at the moment.

The razor was a cheap thing, just one of those disposable ones but... _It could still cut._ You hear yourself think, twirling the small device between your thumb and forefinger. You feel your main hand glide along your jaw, down your neck to your collarbone before going back up to the point where chin and neck intersect. _Thump. Thump._ You can feel your pulse, quite steady underneath your seemingly cold fingers. The mental image of the razor gliding over that spot fills your mind, a deep line of crimson dripping forth liquid promises that stained the white sink and wall, your body toppling to the floor beneath a pool of red. You shake as you watch the fantasy to its completion, gripping the razor in your hand tightly and wishing you had the energy to actually go through with it. _You're just a coward, too scared of the pain...it wouldn't work; it's not worth the effort_. You argue with yourself, bringing the tiny device to eye level. It might not hurt that bad, you think as you examine the razor's sharp metal edge. It's not like you have never used one of these before; the worst it would do was make a small, shallow cut. All you would have to do was endure for a few measly seconds as you bleed out, and then...it would be over.

"..." You deeply exhale, the moment finally passing as you shake your head furiously. What good would that do? The kids would probably be devastated, losing another teacher so suddenly...Plus, all the time and effort you spent on the sweets would be ruined. You weren't that pathetic, you told yourself as you put the small thing down, just take it one step at a time. Why the hell are you even thinking about those kinds of things? You have a job, secure income, and a place to live; why did you feel so empty, despite doing your best to stay alive? You didn't know, and you hated yourself for it. You thought of the kids who were much like you once, though much worse off and having legitimate reasons to end themselves if they desired.

Pathetic. You have a great life; why are you even considering these kinds of ideas? You weren't sure, only feeling guilty that they existed in the first place. What a horrible, horrible person you were! With those thoughts swimming in your mind, you quickly brush your teeth, splashing some cold water on your face afterwards. You try to push the despair building up in your chest back, the dense heaviness weighing you down as your feet plod against the cold hardwood floor. It would all be worth it tomorrow, a warm feeling momentarily filling your chest as you imagine Korosensei's reaction, his eyes lighting up at the desserts you made, his usual complexion turning a rosy pink. You feel the warmth start to fade quickly, however, replaced by a dull emptiness that makes you fall into bed. You just gather your sheets and tuck them around you, trying to gain some solace from their pitiful warmth. Yet you feel nothing; not even the urge to cry, your eyes dry and vacant as you stare at the dark ceiling...

You blearily open your eyes, lacking the strength to even turn over in your sheets to look at your bedside clock. I _should get up for work.._.You tell yourself, weakly lifting your head up from the sheets, feeling a chill as the blankets slide off of your shoulders. Your arms and legs feel like lead as you move them, attempting to get off of the bed. You felt fine, aside from the small aches and pains, and you knew you weren't sick. This has just become a routine for you; struggling against the apathetic lethargy preventing you from doing the most basic of tasks. It's not that you didn't want to go to work; you were almost looking forward to today. You just try to go about your daily routine as much as possible; getting showered for the day, eating breakfast and then changing into a semi-formal outfit for work that you hoped was modest enough. It wa a simple light shirt, a buttoned blouse that you left open at the first button, else it would have been a bit too snug for you otherwise. Your pants were similar, just light enough to not weigh you down with their material, a simple pair of shoes finishing the ensemble.

"Okay. Gotta get going..." You say, trying to find some energy in order to pump yourself up for the day. It doesn't really work, your body still feeling heavy as you pack up the cake and tray of cookies, being careful with the confections lest they become damaged on the way to work...

"Hmm?" You turn your head upward and to the side, looking away from your phone for a second. A noise had caught your attention; one that gave you a bad feeling in your gut, making you stand up off the bench where you had been waiting, being careful not to move the sweets placed next to you. The bus probably wouldn't come for another few minutes, you had been waiting long enough as is for it. A few extra minutes wasn't going to hurt. Looking down the street, you can only make out an odd blob of colors, an indistinguishable mesh of sorts that seemed to be making the noise as you slowly moved closer down the street.

"So, you boys don't know the way to Kunigaoka high, then? Well, this discussion is over." You hear a pointedly female voice speak, making your heart race with fear. What was happening over there? Clutching your bag splayed at your hip, you ran over to the spot, your small legs pumping as fast as they were able to. You can now make out the form of several men, ages indeterminable to you, and a smaller woman stuck in the middle. They were clearly ganging up on her, since you feel the evil intent radiating off of their being. They made no real attempt to hide it, leering at the poor woman like she was a toy for them to use. _Those bastards!_

You feel anger surge through your tiny frame as you grit your teeth, cane waving in your main hand as you half-walk, half-run towards them, rummaging through your bag as your other hand clasps a familiar tiny cylindrical object. You attempt to push past one of the men, who only gives a disgruntled yelp, placing yourself between the three men and the blonde woman.

"Can't a woman walk to her job these days without being accosted by little shits like you?" You joke, a sinister smile on your lips as you watch them frown at you despite your fear churning stomach, a couple of them even moving closer into your personal space. You can feel the woman's breath hitch behind you, her form stiffening from anxiety you assume. This must be quite scary for her; not that you weren't terrified as well. The adrenaline thankfully helped hide your erratic breathing and shaking legs, though your stomach still felt sick as your stared into the almost predatory gaze of the large men in front of you. But what kind of person would you be if you just let this happen? Whatever it was, you were going to put a stop to it. Or at least try, you tell yourself, watching with a sinking feeling as the men regain their composure, one of them even grinning at you as he waves his finger in your direction.

"That's mean, lady...She started askin' us for help in the first place. We were just trying to strike up a nice, friendly conversation." One of them mutters as you can feel his eyes settle on your chest. You try to ignore the sinking feeling in your gut, understanding that the situation could turn sour easily, if it hasn't already. You didn't want to use the spray if you didn't have to; maybe they could be talked to. You just take a deep breath, focusing on making your voice as slick sounding as you could, giving it a rough tenor.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think this poor girl is in the mood to chat right now." A couple of the men scoff at your remark, rolling their eyes, one of them even grabbing you by the wrist. The touch shocks you, hard and almost painful as they tug at you, their rough hand pulling at you in your surprise.

"Is that so? Maybe you'd be more...receptive to our offer, then?" You just let out a small swallow, cursing under your breath. You can hear the woman behind you shout out something, but you can't decipher it in your fear riddled haze, feeling one of the men grab ahold of your arm now and pulling you flush against his chest, cane dropping to the floor, their breath tickling your ear.

"Not a bad idea...She doesn't look too ugly either. Plus, she might even be more stacked than that blonde whore! Why do the foreign countries have all the hot, busty babes!? Look at 'em, the way they squi—" You snap your head backward, disgusted by his words, a chill running down your body as you feel his nose crunch under your hard skull. He lets go of your body then, taking a step back and clutching his bleeding nose in pain. The other two men just look at you, fury causing their eyes to narrow and smolder, hatred and rage clear in their eyes.

"What you'd do that for, you crazy slut? He was just paying you a compliment...Foreign women are always so high strung and bitchy. Wouldn't know a good time if it walked right in front of them." You try to suppress the fear building in your chest, causing your breaths to come out in gasps as you feel for the spray in your hand. You attempt to direct it at one of the two perverts in front of you, but the man from before twists your arm from behind, causing you to cry out as the item falls to the pavement. You feel a familiar bloodlust just then, an unusually shaped shadow cast over the lot of you despite it being quite bright outside, and you can make out their open mouths and wide eyes full of fear, small croaks coming out of their throats.

"Take your filthy hands off of her!" You feel your heart leap at that sound, that familiar low timbre causing you to tremble slightly. You were probably just scared, you reason, as you felt the pressure on your arm subside, though it still aches a little bit. You notice that the men around you have moved suddenly, no longer in your field of view. Turning around, you see a familiar figure gripping said men by their necks, the three making choking and strangling noises as they were lifted aloft by their necks.

It was Koro Sensei, but you had to take a second to take him all in. He looked quite odd, his skin now color more resembling a human's, an odd nose and wig placed atop his round face. Yet his outfit was the same usual robe, though his arms and hands were covered in awkward white sleeves and gloves, tentacles easily distinguishable due to the fact that only two finger holes were being used. You think you'd laugh, if it weren't for the deadly serious aura he gave off, making even the blonde lady take a step or two back in fear.

"W-what the...hell?"

You hear her mutter, too busy focusing on the octopus right near you. Korosensei only drops the men on the ground, moving to your side in a few easy steps, the latter too busy catching their breath as they lay haphazardly on the ground to do anything. His warmth is comforting and also a bit embarrassing, seeing as you were in a public place, your face heating up as you attempt to look up at him. You feel your heart beat faster, though this time it wasn't from fear but something else entirely.

"W-why are you helping me?" You say, not wanting to give anything away to the young woman or the three men. He sighs, shaking his head as you feel the texture of his gloved tentacle graze your cheek.

"You are quite reckless, [Name]-Sensei! Jumping to someone's defense like that is admirable, but you could have gotten hurt." He replies, causing you to frown. You shake your head as if to protest, wiggling out of his grip and turning to face him.

"Are you serious right now? What would you have me do, just stay and watch that bullshit!? You...you're unbelievable, you know that?" You say, rolling your eyes as you continue speaking.

"Never mind...Thanks for the save, anyway. You didn't have to interrupt your shopping for me. Kinda makes me mad though; that I had to re—" You mutter before you are cut off, your face heating up with shame as you feel his eyes narrow at you.

"...[Name]-Sensei." His tone was quite stern, almost like he was talking to one of his students, making you feel even more embarrassed. "Now is not the time for us to argue; however, you and I are going to talk about your...lack of self-confidence later."

"...Ooookay?" You confusedly agree, not understanding what he was talking about. He was right though; it wasn't the time nor place to argue with him, even though you weren't too sure what he was getting at. Still, better that no one overhear the two of you right now. You never knew who might be listening. You began to walk toward the blonde woman, carefully extricating yourself out of his warm, and comfortable hold. She was just looking at the two of you in shock, confusion clear on her face, though she managed to get it under control by the time you came over.

"Are you okay? My name's..." You introduce yourself, offering her your hand, the woman only staring at it for a few seconds before taking it gently.

"...Yeah, thank you. Call me Irina. Irina Jellavitch." You nod, noticing that she is staring not at you, but at the figure behind you. You just nod, not really sure what to say next.

"So...You said that you were looking for a particular high school? Something about being a teacher, yeah...?" You mutter, the blonde woman nodding as she explained her situation. Another one coming over to steal my job, dammit...At this rate...You start to think, sad that another class was being taken away from you. You barely had any opportunities to teach as it was, thanks to the octopus, and now here she was, bustling in on your turf! You couldn't help but feel a bit slighted, even as you calmly pointed in the direction of the school and told Irina how to get there on her own. It wouldn't do any good to let it out now.

"Okay, I have to get going..." You say, walking away from Irina to head back towards the bench where you had left the baked goods. You blink in surprise, Koro Sensei already examining them with great interest, rushing towards him lest he try to take them all for himself. Not that there was anything you could do, but still...

"Oh no you don't! Those are for everyone; ten—hands off!" You command, your heart skipping a beat as you quickly correct your mistake. It wouldn't do for anyone else to know; though you had a large hunch that Irina probably knew what he was. She didn't really seem like a teacher; she certainly wasn't dressed or prepped for it. Probably an assassin. He only looks at you with a large grin on his face, which was still that odd tan color, though there was a light pink blush under his cheeks.

"Ooooooh fine, I won't." He said in a singsong tone. "Though, I am curious; why did you go out of your way to make a cake? You aren't the biggest cake fan, I recall, so why? If it was just for the students, the tray of cookies would have sufficed." That bastard...He was good. Of course he would have noticed, but that other comment...How the hell did he know you didn't like cake? You don't remember telling him, though it is entirely possible the topic came up when you were discussing sweets. You just shrug, moving closer to him so that Irina can't hear.

"You know why. Use your target's weaknesses against them. I'll get you with this cake; I know it!" You answer, a smirk on your face, Koro Sensei responding in kind.

"Hmhmhm...Is that what you think? How cute!" You watch as he easily lifts the box with the cake and the cookies without disturbing his disguise, which you thought was impressive. "I'll be taking this then; wouldn't want it to get ruined now, would we?" You nod, giving him a sincere smile before he starts to walk off, calling after him.

"Oh? Thanks. I'll see you in a little while, along with our new faculty member."


	6. Time for Embarrassment Part Two

Thankfully, the walk to the school proceeded without much trouble, aside from the usual difficulty you had climbing the mountain. Unfortunately, due to that small...altercation, you were running a bit behind schedule, which annoyed you. _Hope I'm not late..._ You think, your legs aching as you lift them up a particularly rough patch of rocks. You watch several of the students give you worried looks, you answering them with a strained smile as they pass you. At least I don't have to carry those packages. You remind yourself, thankful for Korosensei's assistance in that matter. You feel an odd sensation behind you, a sort of negative energy that makes you try to turn around in confusion. It was similar to an assassin; that murderous intent unfortunately familiar to you due to your late evenings or nights on campus. It didn't happen often; though there had been a few pathetic assailants who attempted to take Koro's life after school.

You had often heard or seen things as you headed down the mountain for the day, sometimes kept late by your extracurricular duties and small discussions you had with the tentacled teacher. You honestly didn't hate staying to talk with the man, who often had interesting things to talk about, when he wasn't helping you grade papers or learn new teaching techniques. Unfortunately you hadn't been privy to hanging out with the octopus lately, having been avoiding him and going home early when you were done with work, last week's accidents still weighing on your mind. You can feel the heat rise to your cheeks as you vividly remember, a strangled noise escaping your throat. _It was just an accident, yeah? I mean, we both know...we apologized right?_ You reason, still unable to get rid of the fluttering in your chest. A figure flitters at the edge of your vision, waking up the harsh path with an annoyed grunt every so often, students passing them as they shot the kids odd looks. The new teacher? You think, watching her continue to scale the climb with difficulty, barely able to catch her harsh tone as she mutters under her breath.

"Shitty mountain...What a job...Can't wait for it to be over..."

"Ah...Need help?" You ask, slightly concerned for the woman's welfare. The trek up the mountain was quite treacherous; even you, who had been doing it for the past four years, had trouble with the various obstacles placed on the mountain. You watch as the blonde woman gives you a cool glare, her hard eyes nearly freezing you in your tracks. _Maybe I shouldn't have offered?_ You think, a chill running down your spine as you feel your stomach start to twist. You can hear that the footsteps behind you have stopped as well, probably other students, as they watch the exchange with bated breath.

"No, I don't need your help." Those words effectively silenced any response you had, their tone definite and final. You just shrug, trying to ignore the knots in your stomach from anxiety, nodding at the kids behind you as you continue to walk past the woman. After a while, which felt like far too long than usual, you had arrived at the summit of the mountain, legs aching and out of breath. You only step off to the side in an attempt to catch your breath, not wanting to worry anyone, several of the students attempting to do so as well nearby. A familiar shade of blue meets your eyes then, Nagisa offering you a small smile as he stood next to you.

"Hey kiddo..." You try to sound informal, though the words feel odd on your tongue, the small teen nervously responding back.

"Having a hard time, [Name]-Sensei?" You chuckle lightly, noting his flushed face and beads of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"I could say the same...about you, Shiota-kun. Hurry and...get inside before the octopus...marks you as late." He makes an odd look then, his head swiveling around to see a familiar form walk past the two of you. Her demeanor had changed instantly, going from cold and callous to oddly warm and sickeningly sweet as she walked through the doors, though you could still feel some of the killing intent underneath. How was she able to change gears so quickly? It also seemed you were not the only one annoyed by her presence either, several of the teens giving her strained looks as she enters the main building.

You just go into the staff room, depositing your bag with ease, noticing the untouched trays of sweets on the table. You start to move toward them, uneasy and anxious as thoughts fill your mind, before an odd squeal causes your heart to nearly stop. You turn away from them, and just walk faster than usual as you head into the main classroom, biting the inside of your lower lip to stay calm. Almost immediately you feel your stomach drop, watching as Irina slithers around the front desk to wrap herself around Korosensei's tentacled arm. She grins devilishly, cuddling up very close to him with her open shirt clearly exposed, the man sputtering out incomprehensible gibberish as you watch his beady eyes focus on her prominently exposed chest. They quickly turn back to you, lingering on your distressed expression as the pink color starts to drain from his face.

"How could you, Korosensei!?" You heard one of the kids indignantly shout out, though you could see it was a girl with long hair, causing the blushing teacher to turn their way. Several of the other students voiced their own similar thoughts, causing beads of nervous sweat to appear on his rotund face.

"E-eh!? What?" He only made an odd squeal, his eyes darting back from you, to Irina, to the kids in the classroom. It was just then that Karma decided to make his presence noted, standing up from the back of the class with a large grin on his face. You didn't like that; nothing good ever came from his...involvement.

"Yeah, Korosensei...How could you cheat on [Name]-Sensei like that? With a boring floozy like her, too…" He taunted, causing you to make an odd noise of your own, your face heating up. _No way! That...isn't true!?_

"N-no! He's, we're not—" You begin to protest,waving your arms about wildly as you stood at the front, before your quiet denial is drowned out by a loud shriek.

" _Floozy_! Watch your mouth, brat!" The blonde lady screams, loosening her hold on a shocked Korosensei, her eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. Well, it's not like you didn't understand her anger entirely; Karma was a bit out of line there...Though you admit it made you feel better. Still, she looked like she was going to kill him, for real, as she started to walk down the aisle of desks. You quickly attempt to walk around her to circumvent her, a twinge of fear in your gut as you stand in front of the red haired teen.

"O-oh, he didn't mean it, Irina-Sensei! Karma—" Once again, you are cut off by Karma's snide tone, the boy speaking to the enraged blonde.

"Oh, no I most definitely did. Karasuma has been talking about a new English teacher, and it's her? No thanks; we don't want a bitch like that teaching us. [Name]-Sensei is perfectly capable of teaching us how to speak English." You feel your face flush as you listen to several of the students agree, their odd concern for your touching and making your chest warm. Irina is livid, gritting her teeth as she points a finger in your face.

"Y-you little...Well, can [Name] speak seven languages fluently? Hell, I bet she can't even properly speak Japanese, her accent is so thick!" You feel your stomach turn at her insult, a flush coming over your cheeks as your head involuntarily drops downward. You try to ignore the tears piling up the corner of your eyes, slightly ashamed of yourself for responding in such a way to her taunt. _Are you some kind of child in the playground? Go home and cry to mommy!_ You berate yourself, your voice venomous as it echoes inside your head. She was right. Sort of.

You weren't completely fluent, despite your eight years living in the country and even more practicing the language. Some of the students often teased you when you said words wrong or stuttered, but you understood it was just kids being kids. Besides, you often gave them the same treatment during your English classes, wanting them to understand how it felt to be mocked, though it was all in good fun. Unlike now, Irina's hostility clear in her tone, obviously not joking as you shuffle your feet awkwardly. The tension was quite apparent between the two of you; you could almost see it.

Still, you lift your head up, ignoring Irina's angry look as you stare past her, trying to find something to focus on. A familiar round head peers into your field of vision then, his face a different yellow color than usual. It was dark, kind of muddy, reminding you of mustard or some similar condiment. The distressed frown on his face disappears immediately, his color shifting to pink as your eyes meet. Well, you assumed so; all you could make out was an odd pink sphere, though the white from the grin he was flashing was distinct enough for you to make out. You thought you saw one of his tentacles move then, the small appendage, giving you a thumbs up, or the closest thing he could manage. No...I'm imagining things. You tell yourself, trying to ignore the warmth filling you and making butterflies start to form in your stomach.

"...I-I can't do that, no...But I'm very confident in my teaching skills!" You stutter, your voice becoming louder as you try to muster up some form of courage. Even if it was slightly faked, you had to try and sound confident; not that you weren't, his silent encouragement boosting your ego a pinch. You were an English major, graduating with a Master's in the field. Not to mention your other dual degree; though that was less important now. You glared at the voluptuous teacher, narrowing your eyes as you brought your head closer to hers.

"Don't you _dare_...Underestimate me! I may not be some stunning beauty like you, b-but I am a better teacher." You start to say, a smirk appearing on your face as you lean in closer so no one else can hear. " **You're not...I'm gonna...Hands off the octopus. He's _mine_." **You say, the words tumbling out as you cause Irina to flinch backward, her face an odd shade of pink. You also turn an odd shade of color, internally cursing yourself for that slip. _I didn't mean...I meant to kill!_ Yes, you must have just said that in the heat of the moment, your anger having reached a boiling point long ago. You swear you can see Korosensei gawk at the edge of your vision, past the wavy blonde of Irina's locks, his face turning an odd color; though he was quite far away. You might be imagining things, part of you hoping otherwise.

" **Hahaha, what are you even—"** Irina sputters, her face losing its odd red tint as she turns her head away from you, breaking out into an odd chuckle of sorts. She just stares at the tall teacher for a moment, who can only stare back in what you hoped was confusion, before turning back to you.

"So, that's it…Sorry, but I'm going to kill him and get that bounty. Not you, and not these stupid kids either!" She announces, finally switching back to Japanese for all of you to hear. You just let out a small snort, backing away from her as she struts away, a frown on her face. You just watch as she gives a murderous glare to the octopus, an odd smile on her blurred face as she turns back to you. She huffs, opening the door and slamming it shut in less than a minute, it's hinges rattling slightly as her loud high heeled footsteps continue down the hall. You just sigh, putting a hand to your forehead, though you can feel several pairs of eyes on you. Karma eyes you with a devilish smirk, several of the other children doing so as well. You just step back from the teen, shaking your head as you let out a fake laugh.

"Heheh, w-well...Now that that's over, maybe we should start homeroom. It's getting pretty l—" You are cut off by said redhead, his eyes narrowing as he looks you over, speaking his own piece.

"Sensei... **I heard you.** " He says, in almost perfect English. You just feel your stomach drop at his words, your face flushing heavily as you shake your head in an attempt to protest.

"Karma-kun, There's no ti—"

"Really? Homeroom doesn't start for another ten minutes. This will only take a second or two. Besides," He starts, raising his voice so that the stunned figure at the front of the room could hear. Not that he'd needed to; you bet he could still catch most of the conversation despite your low volume. "I'm sure Korosensei would be interested as well. Right?" You can feel the tension in the room only escalate, the still pink teacher easily moving over near the two of you.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Karma." You try to avoid the topic once more, feeling Korosensei's gaze on you and making you uncomfortable. Why did he choose to get involved now, of all times!? Bastard.

"[Name]-Sensei, please, it's pretty obvious what's happening. I mean, look at these…" He grins, causing you to inhale sharply as he pulls out a handful of notes, going through the pages until he reaches a specific one. You just stare, mouth agape, unable to respond at the sight of what was on the page. You had honestly forgotten them, too flustered to remember to ask for them back. You realize now that was a grave mistake, an odd squeal coming out of both your mouth and the wiggling figure next to you, along with some of the rowdier students exclaiming their own surprise in various ways. You thought you could hear some affirmations even, things like 'I told you so!' and 'Aww, [Name]-Sensei'. It was almost enough to make you bolt out of the room, but you attempted to stay strong. It was a simple doodle, nothing more than a round circle wearing a large grin, wearing a family graduation cap and white collar, odd slanted lines under its beady eyes. It was more the sloppily written text near the drawing that made you pause.

' _He's kinda adorable, in an odd way. I don't know if I can kill him…He's too nice for a supposed planet destroying octopus.'_ Said adorable octopus only turns a deeper shade of pink, obviously able to read the words despite them being in your native tongue. You had never been more mortified in your life; even compared to your own school experiences as a child. Unfortunately, Karma only began to add more salt to the wound, flicking around until he came to another page. This one was of a familiar two pronged tentacle, gingerly wrapped around a small human hand. Once again, this also had a small comment on it, sloppily penned.

' _His tentacles are warm, and sticky. I get goosebumps when we touch; why? I feel like an idiot; what is happening to me?'_ You barely have time to process the odd noise that comes out of your companion's mouth, adrenaline causing you to attempt to sprint out of the room. _I can't live this down! I'm such a...freak!_ You just ignore the pounding of your heart in your chest, blood pumping into your ears as you run out of the building, passing by the staff room. Karasuma shouts something, but you are too far away to hear it by then, having gone outside and into one of the various paths into the mountain surrounding the school. You didn't want anyone else to see you so mortified, so you did the only thing your brain could think of. You ran, and ran, and ran, pushing out the thoughts tumbling inside your mind and threatening to overtake you, heading deep into the depths of the mountain.


	7. Time for Feelings

**A** / **N: Long chapter. Just couldn't find a good stopping point; might change chapter six's ending as well. Doesn't make sense for you to run that far...Does it? Though shoving yourself into the supply closet might be too risqué. Not sure how organic and natural the dialogue sounds; kinda feels forced? I dunno...ergh**

 _Nice going idiot. You let a bunch of junior high kids provoke you. Pathetic_. You try to ignore the taunt, your legs burning and lungs expanding from the exertion of so much energy. You hadn't been running for long, but you had been doing it with all your might, so you were more tired than usual. You just sat down, crouching in the dirt, leaning your tired body against the trunk of a tree, not wanting to go any farther for now. Green trees and shrubbery surrounded you as far as your eye could see, which honestly wasn't much.

You weren't sure how deep you had gone, just planning to run until your legs finally gave out, but you assumed it wasn't too far into the mountains. You doubted anyone would bother to come find you; Koro more or less could teach all on his own, though you weren't sure how the students would react to the new teacher. Hopefully not too badly, though her arrogance and attitude still made you angry. Who did she think she was, saying those things? You would show her, yes, eventually…When you could finally show your face in the classroom again.

Hearing the familiar whoosh of something flying through the shrubbery, you just let out a long dreary sigh, not too surprised when a large figure is towering above you. His round face is wearing an expression you haven't seen until now, the usual yellow color diluted somewhat as he bends down to your level. You just feel your cheeks flare up in shame, not wanting him to see you like this, turning your head away so you wouldn't have to stare at his confused face.

"What's wrong?" His voice is quiet, concerned even, though you feel some hesitance there. Now why would he be acting like that? You wonder, your palms starting to shake with anxiety. You just press your face into your palms, embarrassment making tears pour out of the corners of your eyes. You couldn't let him see how upset this made you; this simple trick by junior high children. It hurt, very much, and your chest felt it was aching severely.

"...N-nothing you need to be worried about. I-I-I will return to my teaching duties in time for afternoon classes, so you—" You start to say, lifting your hands from your face so he can clearly hear you, though the feeling of something sticky and soft covering your mouth forces you to stop speaking. His feeler is warm, and it makes you compelled to look up at the large octopus. His mouth is contorted into a wiry frown, his beady eyes feeling as if they are examining you, staring right through you.

"Don't lie. You're clearly upset; you won't be able to work in that state of mind…" He says, causing you to nod slightly. He was right, but it didn't make you feel too much better. Especially when said person was right in front you. You just let out a long sigh, the tentacle now removed from your mouth, finally calm enough to blink away the tears from your cheeks, doing your best to stare at him.

"...Hate to admit it, but you're right...I just...don't know what happened. Being outed like that, in front of everyone...It stung... **Especially in front of the person I admire.** " You whisper that last part, not wanting him to understand your frustration. That would kill you, you think, if you aren't already dead from shame now. You can hear his sharp intake of breath, his eyes widening in shock to the point where they had hollowed out, whites forming in the center. You watch him go from his usual yellow color to a deep pink, his body trembling weirdly. This was maybe the second time you had seen that odd color today, if you weren't imagining things earlier. _Is he embarrassed …?_ You think, not wanting to get your hopes up but curious nonetheless, your heart catching in your throat and making it hard for you to breathe.

"I see...Well, I don't blame you. Anyone would have reacted like that; I bet I would have too, honestly! Don't beat yourself up over it." He replies, causing you to nod slowly, a small smile painting your face.

"Still...I feel bad about it. Tch. What kind of teacher am I?" You lament, a derisive laugh making your shoulders bob. You watch him move his body closer to yours, making your heart palpitate rapidly.

"A normal, human one; and a pretty good one considering everything that's going on. It's completely normal to be embarrassed; even I am flustered sometimes!" You feel your face heat up at his words, Korosensei's eyes twinkling devilishly as his large head comes closer. Too close, you think.

"N-no—"

" _Yes. You. Are._ " He says sternly, a tentacle tapping against your forehead, causing you to let out a tiny squeal, the oddly serious tenor of his voice making your stomach twist. You only feel your chest start to become warm, making you confused and worried, your heart beating so loud you were worried he could actually hear it.

"It's okay to be emotional, to feel things, to express yourself. That...that was one thing I wish I had learned earlier…" He says, his voice dropping to an odd whisper near the end, barely loud enough for you to catch it. He was sad, forlorn almost, the twinkle in his eyes quickly replaced by something somber. It made you want to do something, what you weren't really sure, in order to see his previous bubbly expression. You feel the edges of your fingers trace along something soft and almost rubbery, your heart skipping a beat as you watch your arm reflexively reach out and caress his face. You were barely able to touch him because of the distance in height and your positioning, but you could feel his body shake a little under your touch. You just ignore the heat rising to your cheeks, tears once again forming at the corner of your eyes despite your intent to stay strong.

"... **Don't look at me with that face. You're breaking my heart here...** C'mon! Cheer up, this ain't like you…" You mutter, using your native tongue to hide your concern, slightly embarrassed at the words coming out of your mouth. They were the truth though, your heart feeling like it was going to break in two just looking at his crestfallen face. A smile graces him then, his mouth moving as his body began to shudder with laughter.

"Ahahaha! This is ironic, really. I came here hoping to cheer you up, but it seems the shoe is on the other foot now." He chuckles, the sound making your heart lift. Good to know that he could still joke around at a time like this. _But you did make me feel better. Thank you._ You just smile, though you feel a chill down your spine as he moves closer to you, the fabric of his robe starting to push against your chest. It took most of your wits to stay calm, though that was soon shattered instantly by the words that came out of his mouth.

" **You must have it pretty bad, hmm?** " You feel your breath stop at those words, taking a few moments for your brain to process him speaking in your native tongue, mouth open in pure shock. Has he been able...this whole time? You feel the tears start to fall down your cheeks then, an embarrassed shame lighting up your face as you understand the implications. He had heard every word, understood every pathetic utterance you had made in your confused haze. _Kill me, someone_.

" **It**?" You parrot, confused by his accusation, watching as his eyes shine with an odd light. The grin on his face returns, becoming wider than usual as you feel a tentacle cup your chin and pull you closer, other appendages wiping away the tears staining your cheeks.

"You do... _like_ me, don't you?" He stammers, switching back to Japanese as he glares into your eyes. You can see the confusion there clearly, you're not sure what to do, the closing distance between the two of you making you nervous. You could feel the heat of his breath on your skin as he spoke, his color once again deep pink as his eyes turned into small slits.

"I don't know. I've never really...felt these kinds of _things_ before." You answer honestly, shrugging your shoulders at the man in front of you, a blush spreading across your cheeks. His only response was to smile, his mouth twisting slightly though you could see the mirth in his eyes. They were almost like a child's on Christmas, waking up to presents to be unwrapped. He really was quite adorable…

"Eh!? Am I really this lucky!?" He says, his body squirming in what you realized was possibly panic, causing you to tilt your head in confusion, your face heating up immensely.

"Lucky…?"

"To be your first love, of course!" His words hit you harder than any explosion, dizziness starting to overtake your senses. That wasn't it, was it? _Him_?

"L-l-l-love?" You squeal, watching as he chuckles, his cheeks reddening as he does so. _Do I honestly…?_

"Hohohoho, your reaction is quite something! What happened to your usual stoic facade, hmmm?" He taunts, green stripes starting to appear on his face, though his skin is still pink. You just try to speak, but no words are coming out of your mouth, your throat dry. _I'm in love? Is that what this feeling is? This odd, warm, tingling...sensation?_

"I...I'm not sure…" You attempt to say, your voice cracking slightly, your words quiet.

"Look, I don't know what this is! For all I know, it could be something else entirely." You say, rubbing your neck with your hand. You understood now that it was no use to lie to him, or hide your words by speaking in English; he would find a way. He grins once again, the smile nearly enveloping the lower half of his face as you feel him tremble, a couple tentacles grabbing your cheeks and pressing on them gently.

"Hoho, ' _Something else_ ', hmmmm? And just _what_ might that be?" He coos, causing you to fidget slightly, your hand easily grabbing the flimsy limbs as you shrug.

"Dunno. Like I said, I've never really felt...this before," You answer, using your free hand to make a vague gesture. "I'm not too sure...I want to make sure these feelings are genuine. I'd feel awful...ah...What was the word? 'Leading you on' or something like that…" You watch the mirth in his eyes return, maybe it never really left, as his fingers slip out of your grasp.

"Ah, [Name]-Sensei," He begins, the sound of your name on his mouth making you shudder. It was his tone that did it; a joyous, uplifting trill that sent your heart aflutter. "You truly are a kind person. That sparkling innocence of yours…It's refreshing, really." You just tilt your head, not understanding his words. You, innocent? You just let out a hollow laugh, your body shaking.

"Haha! You...Oh, dear…"

"Hmm? Am I wrong? You're too honest; I know your tells, that odd smile you force when you're hiding something. I also know this isn't some sort of trick. You're worse than the kids when it comes to assassination attempts. You just don't have the capacity for such cruelty in your heart. It's adorable, really!" You scoff at his words, turning your eyes away from him.

"...Adorable, me? What an odd choice of words...You really have strange taste, you know that?" You joke, a chill running down your spine as you feel his appendages turn your head to stare right at him.

"Oh really? Now, which one of us has a crush on a super intelligent, super cool and nigh unkillable octopus?" He retorts, the stripes on his face reappearing once again, you not missing his words by a beat.

"Ooofff, you got me there, man. So," You start, feeling your throat dry up again, your stomach in knots as you go over the words in your mind several times. You didn't want to pressure him into answering, yet you were curious if he felt the same, even slightly. Only after a few seconds of silence pass, shuffling your feet awkwardly, do you finally get the courage to say it.

Unfortunately, the loud chime of the main school bell stops you in your tracks, causing Korosensei to squirm away in surprise, you closing your mouth shut almost immediately as you opened it. You shake your head, rubbing your face with your hands in order to relieve the tension in your face muscles.

"Oh, never m-mind. It wasn't important anyway. We should get going," You say, your expression now neutral despite the flush on your cheeks. Your breath hitches in your throat despite yourself, the feeling of your body being lifted up into a standing posture surprising you. You just mutter a small thank you, maneuvering around his large form to head towards the school building.

"...I assume we'll continue this conversation after school?" You ask, turning your head towards your fellow teacher. He only offers you a sly grin, eyes narrowing into thin slits as he follows along behind you.

"Of course."

Inquisitive faces greeted the two of you as you entered the building, peering out from classroom windows and doorways, most of the kids whispering to each other in hushed tones, though you did your best to keep calm despite your anxiety. It was with a tightening stomach that you faced the class, bowing low in apology as you started to speak.

"Sorry everyone. You...shouldn't have had to see—I've just been tired lately, and that...pushed me mentally. Now, how about we—" Your apology is interrupted aa a feminine voice spoke up, speaking over you. Rio Nakamura, you think her name was; her face was too indistinguishable to make out at the moment.

"[Name]-Sensei! Do you really like him? Or is it part of an assassination?"

You just shake your head at her words, clutching your hand to your chest to calm your racing heartbeat, hoping that your embarrassment does not show on your face. Your mouth remains in a taut line, eyebrows narrowing as you attempt to formulate a response.

"Haha, no Rio-chan, I do not. Those notes were just planted to lure him into a false sense of security." You lie, feeling the corners of your mouth turn up a fraction. Damn your easy to spot tell. Thankfully the kids hadn't figured it out yet, but it would only be a matter of time; Karma especially was looking at you with a sadistic grin on his face. Well, it's not like you could fool all of them. You take a breath and continue, pacing a bit down the floor and turning to the class once again. Putting your hand to your mouth, you wink at the class, using your lying smirk to your advantage to appear sincere.

"I was hoping to keep up the charade for a while longer, but I can't now. Karma-kun unfortunately ruined that part of the plan." You drawl, staring the red head down with a look you hoped was anger. "Oh well, we still have quite some time to assassinate Korosensei after all!" Watching as some of the kids nodded, you just crossed your arms over your chest. "I'll be busy grading papers if you need me, Korosensei is covering your morning classes for today..."

 _Damn it, not now._ You press your fingers to your temples, closing your eyes as another wave of pain shoots through your skull. Rubbing small circles into the spots, you blink a couple times as your vision goes black, slowly returning along with numerous floaters. You ignore the tiny dots, very used to them by now, and stare at the monitor before you. You were almost done, the paper mostly graded and commented on, just a few more after this and you could go on your lunch break.

"Are you alright, [Name]-Sensei?" Karasuma's curt voice interrupts your thoughts, causing you to push the monitor aside for a moment to look at the man across from you.

"Oh, Karasuma-Sensei, I'm fine, thank you. Just...a tiny migraine, is all. It'll go away eventually." You explain, his hazel eyes watching you for a fraction of a second before he turns back to his work.

"If you say so. Be careful, will you? The students really like you, and it could affect their assassination attempts if something were to happen. We don't need a repeat of last week." He replies, a small chuckle escaping out of your throat. His words were gruff, but you understood the odd kindness in them. It reminded you of your parents slightly. Funny that they should come up now, of all times. You should email them soon; you only sent a basic reply last week since you had been so busy. Tucking that thought away for later, you stiffen at the feeling of eyes watching you, turning around in your chair.

"Tch. This place is a real dump. Some school for elites this is. How has this building not been condemned already?" Irina's sour voice rings in your ears, her gaze frustrated as she scans the room, her lithe body wiggling in what you assume is a seductive manner as she goes to sit in an unoccupied chair.

Things must not be going well with her seduction ploy, having watched her try to put some moves on Korosensei several times now. Every time, you felt an odd ache erupt in your gut, your eyes watching the two of them more intently than you would normally. Surprisingly, other than his usual flushed cheeks, Koro was mainly unreceptive to her wiles, which pleased you for some reason. He usually brushed her off with mentions of being busy with work and helping students, often going to task a few moments afterwards, completely ignoring her advances while still being cordial.

You found it odd; considering his fetish for breasts you assumed he'd be all over her. Why not? She certainly looked like she had more to offer than you in the sensuality department. She was pro, a master of sex and seduction; you, you barely understood how to navigate those mobile otome apps on your phone. You just smile, despite the tumult of emotions running through you as you looked at her, doing your best to attempt to make conversation with the blonde.

"Ah, well the principal doesn't see it worthwhile to give us proper funding. Makes keeping the place up to code a real pain; had to take some emergency money out of my savings one time for repairs. But...if it's to support his odd educational policies, Principal Asano would do anything. Except murder, hopefully." You attempt to joke, Irina's bored expression barely reacting to your words. _What's with her, man?_ You think, something catching your eye as it moves out the window. It is a blurry shape, it's form indistinguishable to you until you take out your visual acuity device.

Even then, you barely get a glimpse of the moving form before it leaves the vestige of the window. Pain lances across your forehead and temples then, making you let out a sigh. _Shouldn't have bothered; straining my eyes is only gonna make it worse..._ She was probably planning something, going by the way her breath hitches in her throat as she watches you pay attention to the window. You just drop the monocular device, letting it hang from your neck since you didn't have a need for it anymore. You just sigh, before clearing your throat.

"Well, Irina-Sensei, seeing as you are going to take over my position in English, it might be helpful if you used my notes—"

"Don't need 'em." She abruptly says, causing both you and Karasuma to give her odd looks. How else would she teach the students? She was an assassin, yes, but her cover as a teacher should have some backing. You just drop your face in your hands, anger starting to pulse in your veins. You understood that she was an assassin; she probably thought so little of you and, by extension Korosensei as well. After all, if she was so confident in her abilities, she must be highly underestimating the man. Nothing she had planned would work, considering she barely gave the notes from Nagisa a second glance. It angered you; How callous she could be about her work? This was her job, wasn't it? Then she ought to do her utmost to see it through. She certainly wasn't now.

"Really? Well...I suppose that's your decision. If you do need them, please let me know." You answer, attempting to end the conversation somewhat amicably. She just scoffs at you, her irritation with her current situation apparent and affecting even your mood. You watch as her eyes rake over the table, settling on the tray of homemade cookies and cake you had brought in for the students. And Korosensei; though you told yourself it was mainly for the kids. Her hand goes for the covered cake, an odd feeling passing through your gut as she takes off the wrapping.

"Uh...We were planning to save those for lunch. Besides," You start, keeping your voice low in case the octopus was nearby. "The cake is for the target." Irina only offers you a small grin, though you can feel a condescending malice in her eyes.

"Is that so? Fine then, I won't touch it. Have to watch my figure anyway… **Unlike someone else here**." She mutters that last part in English, clearly meant for you to hear. You feel your teeth grit against each other, angers hot poison slowly sleeping into your body, consuming you.

"...Sorry, you say something? I'm losing hearing in one of my ears, so if you could speak up…" You answer, your eyes narrowing at the busty blonde. Well, she had impressive curves, but yours were better. She only scoffed, crossing her arms over her open chest. Karasuma only lets out a small cough, standing up from his chair and beginning to close his laptop.

"Seems it's about time for physical education. [Name]-Sensei, do you feel you are finally up to rejoining our class?" You just shrug, tilting your head as you respond.

"Hmmm...I might. The migraine isn't getting any better; feels like someone stuck knives in my temples…" He just nods, his eyes showing a quick hint of concern before becoming blank once more, turning away from you as he leaves the room. You turn to follow suit, hopefully going to find something for your aching head. You easily do find some painkillers in the nurse's office, taking a couple with a glass of water before you head down the hallway…

You do the exercises to the best of your ability, trying to ignore the lancing pain in your throbbing head as you feel sweat pour down your forehead. Honestly, it wasn't anything too strenuous, but you had slacked off for a few days because of your injuries the week prior. Not that you were too athletically inclined; being able to see tiny balls flying at your face while they were propelled at medium speeds was probably a big proponent of that. Every muscle in your body began to protest before long, slowly becoming reaccustomed to Karasuma's regimen, though you ignored that as well. It was mainly some push ups, laps and the usual drills, but it felt like you were running a marathon. Of course it hurt; you had been slacking, and this was the price you paid for it.

Thankfully the session was done before long, your body grateful as you nearly fell down onto the dirt. You composed yourself quickly, however, watching as some of the students were also bent over from their exertion. Wiping your forehead, you slowly clamber over to the hill near the main building, heading for the shed in order to wipe yourself off. You had to change your outfit somewhere, and also wipe the small beads of sweat off of your body. This was probably the best place to do so.

 _Either I smell worse than I thought, or something's off here. Kinda betting the latter_. You reason, your nose wrinkling as you open the door and walk further into the small shed. It was an odd, sickly smell, one that made you a bit queasy. You just tried your best to ignore it, flailing around as you felt for the chord for the light bulb, which was hanging precariously from the ceiling. The light flickers a few times, your eyes hurting at the sight, before it finally stays in for good, illuminating the room, dim though it was. You made a mental note to get a replacement bulb later, though you had a feeling Korosensei would have it taken care of by the time you did something about it. The thought made you slightly frustrated; you wished you could be as helpful as he was.

"Tch. Just do things at your own pace, [Name]..." You mutter to yourself, hardly believing the pathetic self encouragement. You could feel the odd sensation of being watched as you moved over to a pile of boxes, your hands easily finding the familiar towel and sports bag that held your work clothes. Gripping the towel in one hand and bag in another, you feel your heartbeat increase as you call out into the empty space.

"Hey! Anyone in here?" _Dammit! I'm just being paranoid again_...You think, letting out a breath you didn't know you had been holding in. Of course, no one answered you, making you feel foolish as you let out a small chuckle, beginning to take off your shirt. It was slightly wet, thanks to your strenuous workout, and it clung to your body as you attempted to tug it off. It was only partially removed, the material sticking to the bottom of your bra and making it difficult to proceed, your midriff exposed to the open air. You heard the sound of something colliding with the doorframe then, an odd soft squish that took you a couple seconds to identify. The voice that called out to you however, was quite easy to parse, muffled though it was through the wood frame.

"[Name]-Sensei?" Korosensei's inquisitive tone made you stop in your motions, making you wonder just what he was doing here. You just grip at the edges of your shirt, keenly aware of your exposed midriff and bra that peeked out from underneath your shirt. You wondered then, how would he react if he saw you like this? A couple scenarios flirted through your mind, nothing too intense however, making your heart race as you heard him talk once again.

"Irina-Sensei said you had something very urgent you needed to discuss with me before the afternoon classes?" He asks, causing you to tilt your head in confusion. You don't remember talking to Irina about anything, though...You just pull your shirt back down over your torso, not wanting him to see you in that indecent state if he happened to barge in. Not that you thought he would…

"Ah, yeah...I guess I did. You can come in, you know. Kinda hard to hear you…" You say, figuring it wouldn't hurt any to talk with him alone for a bit. Maybe you could continue where you left earlier this morning. Maybe. _If he even is interested in you!_ Your mind echoes, doubt filling you as you hear the door creak as it opens outward. His familiar lanky form is before you in mere moments, though you notice an odd look on his face. You take an instinctual step back, slightly surprised and not used to having someone so close in your personal space.

"You okay? I mean, it does kinda smell in here...Though that might just be me..." You start to say, a flush coming across your cheeks. Surprise flashes across his onyx eyes for a moment, before it is replaced by a faint blush, at least you think it is. He chuckles lightly, one of his tendrils coming closer to rest on your cheek.

"It isn't you, [Name]-Sensei, that much I can assure you of. You didn't sweat nearly enough to leave a trace that...noticeable." He says, leaning in closer and bending down so that he was closer to you. You feel your heart start beating rapidly at the contact, flustering you as you try to calm your now erratic breathing.

"Besides," He starts to whisper, winking at you as you feel a tentacle press against your mouth. "I believe I smell some sort of metal; one that isn't common among materials the students may use for physical education."

 _Metal? I don't smell any...wait._ You think, an odd, sharp smell entering your nostrils just then. It had been obfuscated by the body odor from before, so it took you a couple long sniffs to tell something was off. Yet it wasn't metal that got your attention. It was the acrid smell of gunpowder; one you had become too familiar with thanks to various assassination attempts the past weeks. Maybe it was because of the grenade assassination too, now that you thought about it...You would not forget the acrid tinge in your nostrils any time soon. You just nod, looking up at him with knowing eyes as you speak.

"I see...Gunpower, hmm?"

"Eh? You noticed it?" He aks sincerely, shock passing across his face for a moment.

"Well, yeah...Can't see much as it is, not really surprising my sense of smell has adapted to such a level. Though, I doubt it's anywhere near _yours_." You say, attempting to explain, before an odd shuffle registers in your ears. It was like feet dragging against the wood floor, several pairs of them. A tentacle wraps around your hips then, pulling you closer to him, a small squeal erupting out of your mouth despite yourself. It was so sudden and quick, your head and torso buried into the folds of his robe, his scent enveloping you. It wasn't a bad smell; some sort of odd cologne, you realized, mixed in with the chalk and eraser scents from the main classroom. You barely had any time to protest before the sound of gunshots began to ring out in the small space, closing your eyes reflexively. _I'm so useless...He's going to get hurt defending me. I...I don't want that! I don't want anyone, even_ him _, to be hurt because of my incompetence_. You think, guilty at your powerlessness in this situation.

You couldn't do much, his body shuddering against you every time a bullet entered him, making you only clutch his robe tighter. The awful, wet, slick noises of the bullets hitting him causes tears to start at the corners of your eyes. Even though you wondered if anything other than anti-Sensei BB's had an effect; you had never seen him attacked with regular bullets before. You couldn't help it; you hated seeing others in pain, and you were scared despite yourself, the seconds seeming to pass by in hours to your terrified mind. Not for your own well being however, but his.

That thought both frightened and confused you, the tears now starting to drip down your cheeks. _Fool. Are you becoming attached to him? All because of a few simple acts of kindness he showed you; probably meant to make you lower your guard around him? Remember, he will destroy the world in a year's time_! You mentally fight with yourself, the two parts of your psyche arguing in your mind.

By the time the mental haze cleared, the sound of bullets hitting flesh had stopped, shaky breaths coming out of your mouth as you opened your eyes. His large form was draped over you, leaning across your small body as if to shield it. You couldn't see his face, though you saw his robes were slightly more tattered than usual, and some of his appendages had trails of something dripping across them. It was slightly sticky, and wet, some of the stuff accidentally dripping onto your clothes and skin as you wiggled in his grasp. You also noticed that there were more tentacles than before, your eyes following the yellow tendrils as you saw three male humans wrapped around the appendages. Huh? Had they been there the whole time? Then that meant...

"Ehehe, he should be—How the hell is that bastard still alive!?" You hear Irina grumble, the door to the shed nearly slamming open in protest. The blonde only takes a step or two in the room, you taking a second to notice small heads poking out from the open door. They must have gotten curious and came to investigate as well. You feel your face heat up in embarrassment, attempting to struggle out of his grip, but that only caused Korosensei to wrap another tendril around you almost protectively. How many tentacles did the guy have? You thought, looking at the three guns in his grip and the one large tentacle that held the offending men. Certainly more than the ones you could see sticking out of his robe...

"Nyuhuhuhu! You missed a few key details...Aren't you a professional? How boring...Unimaginative even. My students are much more cunning than you, and they are not even trained killers yet." He says, stripes appearing on his face, though you noticed red taking over where the yellow was supposed to be. Small veins throbbed on his forehead, his eyes narrowing as he beheld the blonde assassin. She could only stare, a frown on her pretty face, though she did step backwards to the still open doorway. Several of the kids only backed away from the door, their expressions also ones of fear. You could only hear a soft thud as he dropped the men and guns onto the ground, his voice a low rumble as he spoke, his body vibrating against you.

"If you were a proper assassin, you would have researched my weaknesses more thoroughly. You should have realized that I don't take kindly to assassination attempts that might result in the hurt of innocent bystanders…[Name]-Sensei may be part of this assassination classroom yes, but to so blatantly disregard her safety in order to get a cheap shot at me…" You could see some of his tentacles start to tense in anger, almost as if they were preparing to lash out at the woman.

"It seems you need to be educated on how we do things in this classroom!"


	8. Time for Talking

**A/N: I fully admit I might be misinterpreting what he said in chapter 1 regarding assassinations, but this is how I took it. Also, sorry for the dialogue sounding repetitive in places; I just wanted to make the explanation clear cut...**

Going by the tone in his voice, and the fact that his green stripes were slowly being overwritten with dark red, you assumed Koro Sensei really was quite incensed. You looked up at him, watching as his usual grin was replaced with a frown, making you worry slightly for the woman in front of you. Of course, she was a bit rude and standoffish, but that was no excuse to hurt her! At least you assumed that was what he was going to do, considering she was more of an assassin than an actual teacher, remembering the way he disposed with other assailants who failed to kill him. Then again, you weren't too sure of what was going to happen, watching as his gaze turns toward you for a moment, eyes softening slightly as they beheld your worried face.

"Y-you are not thinking of ending her life, are you?" You ask, concern coating your voice despite yourself, your word choice oddly formal because of your nervous state. You didn't really like her, but it didn't mean you could let this slide. His round face only glares at you in shock, his tone almost insulted as he shouts.

"W-w-what? Of course not! Do you doubt me this much, [Name]-Sensei!?" You just stare at him for a second, watching the red color in his face fade a little, a sigh of relief escaping your lips.

"I was not sure. Your countenance right now is a little frightful, to be frank." You start to say, fidgeting a little in his grasp. You lower your voice as you continue, not wanting anyone else to be privy to your next words. "I would rather you not sully your hands for my sake...Though I might be presuming things here." You hear him let out a small sigh, his grip on you loosening somewhat, though not enough for you to escape his clutches. Not that you wanted to, despite your initial fear and worry over his anger. He seemed to have calmed down somewhat, his tone back to its usual high pitched self. A tendril just gently rubs against your hair, rustling it as your bangs fall in front of your face.

"You really are too kind, you know that?" He says, the weight in your stomach lifting at his words. "Still, If Irina-Sensei wishes to be part of our classroom, she has to follow the rules like anyone else."

You can only watch as Irina stiffens at hearing her name, her face now red with anger or embarrassment; you honestly couldn't tell which. Several of the children look on with wide eyes, though a few are nodding, some even making their own comments on the matter.

"Yeah, get with the program!"

"You could've hurt [Name]-Sensei!"

You feel your heart lift at their words, though that quickly changes into shock as you watch Irina turn around and start shouting at the children.

"Oh shut up, you little bastards! Like anyone else cares what you think; aren't you guys the rejects the main school threw away, anyway?" You feel your fists start to clench almost involuntarily, rage surging through you as you narrow your eyes at the woman. _Asshole. No one yells at my kids. They may not be up to the standards of the main building kids, but that's because most people have lost hope in them! I won't let them fail, no matter what!_ You think, trying to pull at the tendrils surrounding you with your hands, their sticky texture making it quite difficult. You just settle for yelling at her instead, your voice rumbling in a low growl.

" _Hey!_ Watch it, you. It's my job to show these kids that there's still hope for them! Just because all the other teachers have given up on them doesn't mean I have! They are all amazing in their own ways, and some bimbo like you has _no right_ to talk down to them! I swear, if I wasn't—" You feel something cover your mouth then, forcibly covering it and making it harder to open. You just glare up at the owner of said appendage, who grins at you.

"Calm down. Don't get so worked up. I'll handle this." You just make an odd noise, not really able to protest because of the tendril over your open mouth. Well, at least it wasn't inside your mouth; though part of you kind of wondered what it would taste like...You feel your cheeks heat up at that thought, and pray that he is too focused on the blonde instead. It was kind of funny; you had just chastised him for doing the same thing, and here you were going off the handle yourself. You just exhale sharply, feeling the soft appendage against your mouth shake a little.

"...Now where were we? Yes, I was going to explain how this classroom works. I understand that the goal of this assassination classroom is to kill me, though I highly doubt any of you will be able," He starts to say, the green stripes appearing on his face again before he continues. "Still, this is a place of learning first and foremost, and I intend to uphold my own standards of how things are done here. Treating your students and fellow teachers with a modicum of respect is part of being a professional. Irina-Sensei, you are an assassin, yes, but you are also expected to be a teacher as well. If juggling the two responsibilities is too much for you, then I suggest you find another target."

You just watch as her face makes various expressions, able to see the frustration in her eyes. You feel something pat your head again, the tentacle leaving your mouth finally, startling you a little as you peer at him again. One of his black eyes was trained on you, giving you a small wink before he turned his attention to the assassin once more.

"Look at [Name]-Sensei here. She makes mistakes, and her assassination attempts so far have been...interesting to say the least," You feel your face heat up at that comment, incredulity spreading through you at his words. At least you were trying to assassinate him, though your attempts had stopped lately due to wanting the students to get a few shots in. Yet just because none of your earlier attempts hadn't planned out didn't mean they never would! At least that was what you told yourself.

"However, she is a far more qualified teacher than you at present. [Name]-Sensei does her best to try and help each of her students whether it is with assassinations or learning. Take for example, Sugino-kun's botched attempt a week ago. [Name]-Sensei immediately searched the internet for ways to help Sugino with his pitching, despite knowing little to nothing about baseball herself. She was even willing to help him join a club after school and cover for him, despite that being against one of the rules for Class E. She tried her best in her own way to help, using her own human abilities and kindness. Sure, she didn't have the ability to fly to New York and learn about his favorite major league pitcher to do a direct comparison of his strengths and weaknesses, but that isn't important."

 _Wait, how did he know?_ You think, going back through your own memories of said moment. Sure, he probably knew you had been looking up baseball facts and tips on your computer during lunch break; even Karasuma could see that. What concerned you was how he had been able to figure out when you met the child after school, so sure you had waited until everyone else had left before making your offer. Of course, being the nice boy that he was, Sugino-kun had politely declined your offer of help, not wanting to trouble you with his problem. Still, he was thankful enough for the attempt, and you could see it because of the renewed sparkle in his eyes as he left the classroom that day. That sparkle, so full of hope and life, was what drove you to teach Class E. You wanted more children to develop that spark, that inner confidence which had been beaten out of them by the ruthless standards of Principle Asano's educational system. That confidence you yourself could no longer seem to muster, that has eluded you for a long time now. You just attempt to focus on the conversation happening in front of you, having been lost in your own thoughts for a moment.

"What's important is that she is trying her best despite all the things stacked against her. [Name]-Sensei is quite—"

"Oh, who cares about who is the better teacher!? Why aren't you lying on the floor dead? What about all those bullets you took?! You should be dead!" She interrupts, though it was quite rude of her to do so; especially when he was going to give you a compliment, you think,

but you find yourself agreeing with her words. Any normal person would have died, _you would have died_ , from that many bullets in their body. You shudder a bit, imagining yourself being shot to pieces, limbs flying across the shed in bloody chunks. Okay, maybe you were taking things too far; you could almost feel the bile rising up in your throat. You felt him shudder against you as he let out a hearty laugh, pointing to the odd, grey blobs on the floor. You had honestly not paid too much attention to them, more worried about the substance that had been leaking from his limbs, worried that he had been hurt.

"Hehehehe! Well, if you had done your research, like any person attempting to take me on should, you would have figured out that metal bullets are ineffective. Those small puddles on the floor are their melted remains. The only thing that can hurt me is the special ammo developed by the military. Anti-Sensei material, the substance has been called." He explains, the stripes on his face seeming to move as he talked. This was new; they were usually stationary. You had little time to wonder what this could mean, however, as he continued speaking.

"Although, you have done a number on my outfit; thankfully it won't take me much time to patch up the holes. So in short, your attempt was ineffective, unimaginative and quite dangerous. After all, you probably wouldn't know, seeing as you failed to do proper reconnaissance on this classroom, but we recently put a new rule in place. A rule that you have now broken explicitly."

"Who cares?" She asked, her tone frustrated as if she was really done with this whole thing. You felt him move again, towering over you once again as he seemed to grow larger. He was glaring at Irina with a serious expression, some of the kids even backstepping from their safe positions against the outer shed walls.

"Yes. A very important rule. It clearly states that if one is attempting to assassinate me, you must be mindful of the other people in this classroom, and their safety. In other words, when you plan out your assassination attempts, you must take care to not involve others involuntarily and cause them any fatal harm. Which," He narrows his eyes at Irina, who can only look at him in shock.

"You failed to do. Your _reckless_ assassination attempt, one that you did not inform [Name]-Sensei of ahead of time, could have possibly killed her! If she was privy to it beforehand, I might be more willing to listen, but she was not. You used her, unknowingly as bait, in order to get to me. And that—" You watch as Irina's mouth moves, her tone slightly shaky as she interrupts.

"So? It's not like she died. I mean, you would have probably protected her anyway…" You feel him shudder once again, veins popping out of his head as he let out a pained sigh.

"What if I _hadn't_ protected her? What if I just left her to be shot? You had no reassurance that I would come to her rescue, and yet you hinged your plan on that anyway. You took a gamble; with an innocent bystanders life no less! Yes, she does understand the danger of being in this classroom, but that does not excuse your callous disregard for her well being."

"...She is an exemplary teacher, and certainly someone whom you would benefit from emulating, I think. Now, if you have nothing else to say, we do have afternoon classes to prepare for." He says, Irina only scoffing at him before she turns on her heel and out the door, some of the children moving out of her way as she does so before the door slams close to their faces. You can't blame them; you could feel her murderous intent from here. It was balanced however, by the odd sensation you felt from the teacher beside you, his eyes oddly warm as he looks you over once more. You feel vulnerable, remembering you were still in your gym uniform, which exposed much more skin than you were used to. It was just your cleavage and most of your arms and legs, but it was still mortifying to be seen in, especially by him. Maybe you were just over exaggerating things, but…

"Well, that was a dicey situation, wasn't it? Irina-Sensei seems quite frustrated; maybe our little talk will have caused her to rethink her approach, hmm?" Koro Sensei says, causing you to just stare at him in confusion. Dicey!? You would have died if he hadn't protected you; then again, if he hadn't come in the shed in the first place, Irina's trap probably wouldn't have gone off. She probably had it planned that if anyone went into the shed with him it would have started, you realize. Well...if that was the case, you were at least glad that you were the one to be involved in the deadly attempt. At least it wasn't one of the students; god forbid they had come into the shed looking for something. You could only imagine numerous horrible scenarios, shaking your head while trying to dismiss them.

"I suppose so...Now, Sensei, If you don't mind, could you please leave? I do have to get ready for the afternoon courses, you understand?" You mutter, your words going between an odd mix of formal and informal speech. He only nods, his tentacles starting to wrap around your limbs carefully, as if they were holding something fragile. You just blink at him a couple times, trying to understand his intent.

"You're quite dirty, you know. Maybe I can help you get cleaned up a little, hmm?" You feel your heart nearly stop at his words, understanding the subtext behind them, but try to calm yourself with a deep breath. Shaking your head, you glare at him despite yourself. You half wanted this, but you didn't want to seem pathetic, desperate. Now really wasn't the time for such a thing anyway; the students were probably still listening in on your discussion. Maybe if you hinted at it, he would understand better.

"Not right now, sorry…" You watch as his features dampen for a moment, using that to your advantage as you pull on his dirtied robe, bringing his shocked, pink face closer to yours. You feel your stomach turn from anxiety, but attempt to stay focused, passionately staring into his confused eyes.

"Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather get to know you first before we become...more intimately acquainted. Maybe try going steady for a while, take each other out on a couple dates and see where this goes, yeah? You get me?" He just nods, tentacles still trembling slightly as he chokes out a response.

"Of course! I understand; slow and easy. Are all foreign women this forward with their intentions?" A breathy moan leaves his mouth then, his eyes glazing over slightly as you know he is imagining the two of you doing things.

"Forward, me!? Says the guy who wants to drill me against the shed!" You nearly shout, a small chuckle escaping your mouth before you continue. "Hmmm...I don't know; I surprised myself there actually. Felt like I had to say it now or I'd lose the nerve, y'know? So whaddaya say? I know most men probably don't like being pursued, but I wanted to be honest about my intentions from the start. I...I l-like you; I'm hoping maybe if we spend time together maybe you'll eventually feel the same…" You mutter, losing your confidence at the last second, the words feeling odd and heavy off of your tongue. You feel his numerous appendages gently start to caress your face, his eyes once again sparkling with that odd twinkle that often left you speechless.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, [Name]-Sensei. Who says I haven't fallen for you already?"


	9. Time For Confessions

You just stare at him in shock, your face heating up rapidly as you took in his words. No. No. _He was just being nice. That's all._ You had no real redeeming qualities, you tell yourself. You cried at the dumbest things, didn't have particularly good skills, and weren't really what most people would consider attractive. What exactly could he be attracted to? Still, the odd look he gave you seemed to bore into your very being, flustering you. You just abashedly turn your head away from him, or at least tried to despite his feelers grabbing your face, muttering your disdain aloud.

"That joke isn't funny." He just narrows his eyes at you, more appendages gripping onto your shoulders. You notice the frustration and sadness behind those eyes, making you shift uncomfortably. _Ah, I messed up again._ You think, watching his embarrassed grin turn into a frown, the pink color on his face receding slightly.

"What makes you think I'm joking? I am completely serious. To be honest," He starts off, the color on his flushed cheeks deepening as he moved his head closer to you, an involuntary gasp coming out of your mouth as his soft head gently bumps against the tip of your nose. You feel your heart beating extremely fast in response, and understood that he could probably feel and hear that as well, given his proximity.

"I...might have…liked you from the moment I first saw you…" He mutters, voice slightly shaky and less confident than usual. You try not to let his words affect you, though you feel your face burning despite your best efforts to keep calm. You let out a light chuckle, trying to relieve some of the tension in your body.

"You mean when you were checking me out on the first day, right? Don't think I didn't notice while I was cleaning..." You self-loathingly joke, trying to deflect your nervousness and surprise, a large grin creeping across your face. He looks shocked at this, reeling back at bit, the tentacles that still had a hold on you wiggling for a few seconds.

"No! It...it isn't like that! I mean, you're qu—" He makes an odd noise then, closing his mouth shut before he can finish his words, piquing your curiosity. What was he going to say? You just attempt to lift your hands up to cup his face; it was slightly difficult because of the tendrils wrapped around your shoulders, the things slowly encroaching onto your upper arms. You manage it however, leaning slightly on the tips of your feet, despite the frantic beating of your heart against your chest as your stomach twists inside out. _Just go for it!_ You try to encourage yourself, pushing past the anxiety that threatened to leave you standing there stupidly, daringly pressing your lips against the middle of his face, right above his usual perky grin. The skin there was oddly textured, kind of sticky and soft, yet not unpleasant, just like the tentacles holding you. You could feel said appendages stiffen as you pressed a bit more forcefully against his head with your lips, wanting him to really feel it.

You didn't need to see the color of his skin to know he was embarrassed, able to feel the heat with your lips and your hands. You just pull away slowly, too anxious and embarrassed yourself to get a look at him. Maybe that was a little much, you think, your cheeks blazing hot despite your attempt to keep calm. You just blink in surprise, those beady eyes gleaming with an odd twinkle as they stare at you.

"I thought you said we were going to take things slowly? Isn't that right?" He taunts, a smirk creeping up on his face. You just scoff, trying to look as indignant as you could muster.

"Yeah, I did...That...was payback. Doesn't seem right if I'm the only one blushing like an idiot all the time…" You mutter, making up a flimsy excuse. You were partially telling the truth though; watching him get all flustered was adorable. You wanted to see it more often, an idea popping up in your mind then. Koro Sensei doesn't miss the mischievous glint in your eyes then, a couple tentacles lifting your head up.

"Hmm? What are you plotting? That is a dangerous glint in your eyes…" Your smile just gets bigger, the words tumbling out of your mouth before you can stop yourself.

"...H-huh!? I don't—Now get out; I have to get changed!" He gives you a knowing glare then, tentacles wiggling slightly as he starts to pull away slowly.

"Are you sure I can't help you with—"

" _No, you idiot!_ That's waaaaay too soon! Like I said, a couple dates or something wouldn't be a bad place to start!" You nearly yell out, your voice squeaking slightly, the octopus giving you a small wink as he opened the shed door. He backpedaled a second later, watching as two small forms let out a surprised cry and nearly toppled against him. Some of the other kids only let out startled gasps and chuckles, a shock of blue hair among them making you curious. _They hadn't been listening in, had they?_

"Rio-san, Maehara-san...What are you guys doing wi—?" Said teens only gave him a nervous glance, quickly getting up from their positions on the ground before shaking their heads quickly.

"Awww! So much for that assassination attempt." The girl muttered, though you could feel the hint of a lie there, her tone somewhat strained. The short haired boy didn't seem any better, backing up slightly while rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Darn it! We'll get you next time, Koro Sensei!" You just watching their forms grow even smaller and blurrier as they ran off into the school building...

The rest of the day proceeded as normally as possible for you, though you couldn't help the slight churning in your gut from anxiety. You did your best to ignore what had happened in the shed between you, though the thoughts popped up in your mind often, distracting you. You just dismissed them as part of your selfish, indulgent imagination, trying to teach the afternoon classes as efficiently as possible before you had to switch out with the new teacher for her first English class. You would still supervise the lesson, just because it was her first time and you were concerned, to say the least, about how Irina would handle things. Also, you admitted to yourself, you didn't want to be in the same room as _him_ right now. Even if this was only a smidge better, at least here you could focus without becoming _too_ distracted. You just sat in the back of the class, in one of the empty seats, your gaze every so often leaving the teacher at the front of the room to chastise talking students.

Unfortunately for you however, your seating arrangement did leave you in closer proximity to one Akabane Karma, the redhead giving you a sly grin as he watched you go about your work. You just sigh heavily, looking up from your stack of papers and drumming your fingers against the top of the desk.

"Akabane-kun, could you please focus on the lesson? You're missing imp—" He interrupts you with his usual snarky response, eyes glinting predatorily.

"[Name]-Sensei, we both know I understand the material already. Besides, this _bitch_ is clearly not taking us seriously. Look at her." He gestures to the taller blonde woman, who was currently in the middle of instructing the entire class in a language exercise.

' _You are incredible in bed.'_

Along with other such words were written on the board in a curly English cursive. It was quite hard for you to make out, even with your distance seeing equipment, but you managed. They made your face flush, even though they weren't really anything to gawk at. You had written worse terms before, and read worse scenarios. _They're just junior high kids; they don't need to know about this shit, do they? I mean, if it works, it works, but I kinda don't like it...Geez..._ And you couldn't deny her words; people often do try harder for someone they love or are infatuated with. Even if it is just a small temporary thing, to give someone the energy to learn a new language just to talk with their significant other was an interesting concept to you. By the time you shook out of your thoughts, Irina had already started moving on to the second part of the lesson.

"Now, bite the bottom of your lip. Good; your front teeth help distinguish the sounds from one another…" You watch as she gives a self-satisfied smile, her eyes narrowing as she turns back to the chalkboard. You couldn't really make her out well, but you could still feel the frosty glare she threw towards the kids and yourself, by extension. The minutes go by as she continues writing sentence examples on the blackboard, the kids still stuck in their odd poses, teeth glaring against lips in a comical fashion. Or you would have seen it as comical, had the person who ordered them to do so wasn't filled with a mix of anger and something else you couldn't figure out. You only shake your head at the sight, admittedly unsure whether to interfere or not, hearing a comment from Karma.

"See? She's messing with us. That assassin doesn't consider us worth her time…" You just offer a small nod, quite tired of the game she was playing. These were children; students of yours, not targets or playthings for her to use. At least, that was how you saw it. _You liar...You just don't want her to take the only thing you are good at, do you? Like she tried to—_ You stop that line of thinking before it even begins to surface, taking your stack of papers you had been working on and carefully putting them in a folder. Your feet feel unsteady as you stand up, anxiety causing you to nearly turn for the door to the hallway right of you. You didn't waver however, watching as some of the students turned their puckered faces your way. You could see the embarrassment, shame and anger in those eyes. _That's it!_ You half walk, half stomp across the columns of desks, putting a hand on the taller teacher's shoulder. Her eyes are like ice as she looks at you, an equally cold frown painting her face.

"Irina-Sensei, would you mind talking with me for a moment? Outside?"

"Hmm? Tch. Whatever…" You just turn to the class, faking a smile as you speak.

"Sorry everyone. I'm going to borrow Irina-Sensei for a bit. Relax, and have a study hall." Several of the students released their poses at the end of your sentence, sharp exhales coming out of their mouths. You ignored that, too focused on the teacher in front of you, grabbing her wrist somewhat sharply before dragging her out of the room. You strode down the hallway, Irina glaring at you all the while until you were sure the students could no longer hear you. You really didn't care too much about her predicament; if she had wanted to make you let go, you felt she could have easily done so. Or dislocated your wrist, whichever.

"Look, you're probably not used to working with children. You're an assassin, not a teacher." You start to say, loosening your grip on her wrist as you crossed your arms over each other. You exhale at the sound of one of the sliding doors opening a crack; of course they'd try to spy on you. You just ignored them, focusing on the blonde in front of you.

"I know they're rough around the edges, but they're all good kids. You can't just, ahh...Tch. Aren't you being a little childish yourself, responding to their taunts like that? I do get it; it's annoying to deal with. But you're the adult here; you have to act like it…" You say, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"You gotta...tone it back a bit with the sexual stuff, alright? They're barely fifteen years old for god's sake! Have some decorum about it, discretion or something, I guess." You explain, watching as Irina narrows her eyes at you, brows furrowing.

"Why? I'm an assassin; seducing people is my job. Well, along with killing them. Why shouldn't I use that to teach these kids? Some of them might need those skills down the line." Almost as if on cue, you felt like you were being watched, a chill running down your spine. You ignore it, attempting to state your own thoughts on the subject.

"Look, I just...they're only kids, dammit. Some of them, like Nakamura and Okajima are perverted, yeah...but at least that still has a quality of innocence about it. Adults...they warp things, unlike children who see the world in more pure terms. I...What I'm trying to say, I think, is that I am concerned these kids are growing up too fast. They're being taught how to kill, how to seduce, and they're barely finishing junior high! I don't know; maybe I'm in the wrong here...I just don't want them to grow up so fast without experiencing a normal childhood." You attempt to explain, turning your face away from the blonde as you spoke, unsure of yourself and your words. You didn't need to look at her face to feel that the hostility around her has softened, though there was still an undercurrent of it emanating from her lithe form.

"..." She says nothing, only letting out a small exhale as you feel her eyes on you. They didn't contain the usual cold stare that often sat upon her face however, but something you couldn't describe. She nodded, short wavy hair bobbing up and down as she did so. You could see a flush start to color her cheeks then, confusing you.

"I get it...Man, you don't give up, do you?"

She comments, a self-derisive smile lifting up your face for a moment. It matched with the odd tug you felt in your chest, the weird sensation making you want you to go lay down in the staff room or some other isolated area. _Huh...Giving up might be one of the things I'm good at._ You lament, finding the irony in her words. She gives you a strange look, one that made your stomach drop. You just avert your eyes, not understanding the energy she was giving off. You understand a fraction of a second later, familiar yellow tendrils wrapping themselves around your shoulder. Of course he'd overheard. Koro Sensei just stares at you for a moment, usual grin plastered on his face, before speaking once up.

"I'm not sure about your reasoning, [Name]-Sensei. If the kids didn't want to be here, they had every right to decline. You remember the proposition Karasuma gave them on the first day of classes? Quite a few of the usual students did leave, so the rest who stayed obviously knew what they were getting into. Of course, most of them probably feel pressured that killing me is the only way they'll be able to leave Class E…Then again, that's why _we're here_ , isn't it? To show them they have the power to get out of Class E on their own merit." He comments, green stripes appearing over his face as he wrapped another tentacle around you. You felt your face flush at the contact, though it wasn't even intimate; just a simple tap on the shoulder if anything. You just sigh, understanding that he was sort of right. It still left a bad taste in your mouth, however.

"I suppose...Like you said though, they're probably pressured by this school to see assassination as their only option. I...think I'm just having trouble coming to terms with it. The fact that they have to kill; even if it is him...Or something…" You mumble, trying to sound more confident than you felt. You feel your shoulders droop, your eyes heading to your feet, both Irina and the octopus giving you more odd looks.

"What?" You quizzically drawl, only eliciting more glares from the pair. Irina's eyes seem to soften a smidge then, focusing on yours.

"You really are quite innocent, aren't you?" She says, her eyes leaving yours after a few minutes of silence. You just feel a tentacle mess up your hair, your gaze staring up at him. He only smiles at you, making you feel confused. What the hell is going on?

"You're just a regular teacher, a civilian; of course you have no idea what being a killer is like." The octopus starts to explain, making you try to focus on his words. "Sometimes, in this environment made for killing...It's a bit difficult for us to remember that. After all, you and the kids are the most normal of us here; Karasuma may seem like anyone else, but he is a military official. He's seen his share of death too, though he's too stoic to show it."

"...So? I don't think I get your point…"

"...We shouldn't be expecting you or the children to grow used to this odd environment so quickly, is what I'm getting at. If you did, I think we'd have a much bigger concern on our hands. Am I wrong?" He answers, causing you to only tilt your head in confusion. Honestly, he was right; working with the kids all day, talking with him and Karasuma in the staff room, helping him grade tests and papers—though you were the one that really needed the help, you think—had made you start to forget just what you were doing here. You could feel your face heat up once again, making you start to look downward at your feet, the floor suddenly very interesting to you.

"I suppose not…" You mutter, covering your chin with your hand in thought. _Do I really belong here? I'm just so out of place..._ You think, a self-derisive smile coming onto your lips. You try to look up then, meeting the blonde woman's blue eyes.

"We still need to go over your teaching strategies, Irina-Sensei. You...mmm...your teaching style needs some work. I can't have you teaching the kids anything _too_ explicit now, can I?"

The blonde only gives you an odd look, a sly grin creeping up on your face. You might not be able to change the subject of _what_ she went about teaching the students, but at least you could do this much. You just attempt to wiggle out of his grip, heading into the staff room along with the pair. This was going to be interesting...


	10. Time For Friendship

"Looks like you took my advice to heart, Irina-Sensei!" You say, watching the woman's beaming face as she walked back into the staff room. It had been a couple days since your talk with the assassin, Koro Sensei and even Karasuma giving their own words of advice to the blonde. She certainly seemed to take it to heart; Her expression was lighter now, and her steps less tense as she went to take a seat near you in the small table in the staff room. The students also seemed to benefit from her improved attitude, some of them even going so far as to wave or call out goodbye as they passed by the staff room on their way home. It made your heart warm, knowing that she had started to change for the better and find a place to belong. Her face flushed pink for a moment, her eyes doing their best to avoid looking at you or the open doorway as she spoke.

"I guess so...Thanks, [Name]-Sensei. Maybe working here won't be such a bad thing, after all…" You just feel your face turn warm at her words, not used to receiving thanks or praise. At least, not ones that you thought were genuine. _Hah! So she complimented you, so what? You're still a shit teacher!_ You hear yourself think, almost as if this was an attempt by your psyche to dampen the good mood that you felt. You just try to ignore it, crossing your arms over each other with a wide grin on your face.

"Hehehe...Thanks. Now, as is customary, we should celebrate Irina-Sensei's successful integration into the assassination classroom!" You suggest, putting a hand to your chin while nodding thoughtfully. You watch Koro Sensei nod from a chair nearby, Karasuma looking up from his work for a second to stare at you before once again dutifully clicking on his keyboard, eyes glued to the screen. You open your mouth to speak only a moment later, snapping your fingers.

"I mean, maybe we could go out for drin—" You pause in the middle of your thought, your gaze inadvertently drifting to Koro Sensei. That's right...He wouldn't be able to celebrate with you, even if he wanted to. Which was different from Karasuma, who often declined your requests to go out drinking after work. Not like you did it all the time, but it was nice to let out steam every now and again. You feel heat flush your face then, your gaze moving to the floor, embarrassment making you put your head in your hands. _I wasn't thinking. How rude am I? Goddammit! I'm such a jerk!_ You think, feeling the gazes of all three of them on you. You just attempt to brush it off, faking your best smile as you rubbed the back of your head with your hand.

"Ah...n-never mind. Just forget it…" As if he could read your thoughts—and he probably could considering how transparent you were being—Koro Sensei just gives you a small smile, his face seeming to flush as he spoke.

"Oh, don't mind me, [Name]-Sensei. You go out with Irina-Sensei; have a girl's night out, hmmm? Maybe Karasuma and I might try to strengthen our own manly bond as well!" He exclaims, eyes twinkling with excitement like a child as he looked over to said man. Karasuma only glared daggers at the octopus, as if to say 'no way in hell', who blanched suddenly like he had been struck. A crestfallen look appeared on his face then, frown exaggerated greatly to emphasize this.

"Well, it was worth a shot...Seriously, Karasuma-Sensei, do you hate me so much?" The stoic man only sighed at this, finally looking up at all three of you with an unreadable expression.

"...I wouldn't call it a case of hate or like. You're the enemy of mankind. Getting to know you, aside from the information we need to kill you, is a fruitless endeavor in my eyes." He states simply, the bluntness of his words causing you to feel like a rock has been dropped into your gut. It lessened the somewhat happy atmosphere, making you turn your head away for fear of showing your true thoughts to the military officer.

"W-well, anyway...Girls night out, huh? Never really—-uhm—How about it, Irina-Sensei? I know a decent bar...in town. We c-could get a small bite to eat, a couple drinks and chat...I guess." You try to say, the words somewhat heavy on your tongue. You didn't want to impose on her, and you were a bit nervous at asking her to do something like this so suddenly. The blonde only gave you a soft smile in response, her face lighting up immediately.

"Of course! Why the hell not; as long as you're paying? Might be good to get some steam off…" You just let out a small chuckle, the weight somewhat lifted from your shoulders at her acceptance. Still, there was something else that was bugging you, making you get up from your seat and turn towards Koro Sensei's direction. You just walk a couple steps closer to said teacher, furrowing your brows. _This is going to be harder than I thought..._ You think, acutely feeling Irina and Karasuma just staring at you, probably judging you. You just ignore their piercing glares, trying to focus on the only person in the room who matters at that moment. He just tilts a tentacle your way, his face still sporting that grin you were so enraptured with.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Ahhh, well…" You feel your words caught in your throat, your fingers entwining with one another as you attempted to make out what you were trying to say in your head. You just offer him a small bow in apology, that what was one was supposed to do in Japan to apologize to one's coworkers, right?

"I'll be sure to make it up to you later! I don't know when, but...maybe we could d-do something together...just the two of us, I guess? I don't know, I—"

"Nyuhuhuhu...Are you asking me out, [Name]-Sensei? I'd love to! We'll have to plan a date later...My, you're quite bold aren't you? Who would have thought someone as shy as you could have the guts to propose a first date!? Honestly, I think I'm being emasculated here, huhuhuhu!" He taunts, winking at you and making your face start to heat up rapidly. Your eyes narrow, a sinister smile on your face as you straighten up from your prone position, a mix of embarrassment and anxiety flowing through you.

"It's on then! Prepare to be successfully wooed!" You shout, trying to sound tough and not terribly anxious and nervous as you feel the stares of the others on you. He only lets out a small chuckle, eyes glinting equally mischievously as a tentacle cups your chin. You realize your mistake a second later, going over the words in your head again. _Agh! I did not just say that, did I? How lame..._ You feel your face blush fiercely, attempting to step back from him, to maybe help the rapid beating of your heart as you fear it is going to jump out of your chest like that one monster from a movie. You start to step backwards, wanting to bolt from the room out of sheer embarrassment, but a tentacle wrapped around your ankle prevents you from doing so. You feel your body lurch back from the inertia for a moment, before several other tendrils start to wrap around you, securing you in place as his looming figure towers above you. It made you nervous, your throat drying up as you saw the dark shade of pink he had become, his round face pressing up against the tip of your nose. You only stare into his eyes with a confused expression, trying to understand what was going on. You finally blink, your eyes starting to water, as you feel something hard and firm press up against your lips during the time your eyes are closed.

A sharp cough from Karasuma makes the both of you let out a small yelp of surprise, pulling away from each other as best you could, your body still entangled by his appendages around your limbs and waist. You can feel your face start to heat up rapidly, your heart still beating frantically in your chest. He was no better; blushing face covered by his other tentacles, his whole body trembling slightly as he began to release his grip on you. You just right yourself quickly, brushing off your blouse as if it had some dirt on it, refusing to look at said teacher and instead once again focusing on the interesting wood paneling.

"If we are done here, then I suggest we all leave and get ready for tomorrow's classes." Karasuma states stoically, though you notice his tan cheeks are tinged with a slight pink as he starts to put away his laptop. Irina, too, you realize, is also flushed, her clear blue eyes looking anywhere but at the two of you. You just slowly move away from the robed teacher, sliding up next to Irina with a large grin on your face, hooking one of her slender arms into your curvier one.

"Now, how about we get going, yes?"

"Eeehhh!? Wuuuus that mean, Irina-Chan!?" You drawl out, tilting the cup in your hand slightly. The blonde just looks at you, eyes wide, a small grin on her face. You had been at the bar for at least an hour and a half now, chatting away with the blonde, food already devoured long ago and now moving onto your third cup of sake. Well, Irina and Hotaru had done most of the talking initially, you slipping in small affirmations here and there. Azusa was been busy helping customers as always, you noticing a familiar tall businessman in a gray suit take his usual spot at the end of the counter, before dragging yourself back to the conversation going on between the two girls. You didn't think too much of it; everyone had their favorite places to go, and he wasn't bothering anybody. Still, his voice was somewhat...odd to your ears, similar to a high pitched squeal you had grown entranced by over the past month. You could have sworn you'd heard him before, but where? You were too shy to interrupt with your own thoughts, wanting the two girls to chat a small bit, enjoying their talk for a while. At least, that was before the alcohol kicked in. Now that you felt a little lightheaded and less nervous, it was time for you to discuss things that were on your mind, you figured. You just stare at the two women, Hotaru grinning at you as she asks you a question.

"So, [Name]-San! How has it been going with that teacher you have a crush on?" You nearly choke on your drink, having taken a sip of it in between her words to wet your dry mouth.

"Eh, Ah….Well...It's...complicated?" You say, rubbing the back of your neck with your free hand. You feel your face flush, not sure if it was because of embarrassment or the sake, feeling like someone was staring intently at you. You just shake it off, grinning as you start to speak again.

"Well, that damn octopus! That big dopey grin of his, his cute, round face, those twinkling eyes that seem to see right through you...He...he's just...sooo adorable, you know!? And those arms of his..." You shout, lost in your description of his features, Irina and Hotaru only grinning at your response, only realizing the slip of tongue too late. You mentally curse, watching as Azusa and Hotaru, along with a couple patrons, give you odd looks. You feel Irina gently nudge your side then, a nervous sweat starting to bead down your face. You attempt to backpedal from your previous statement, waving your drink holding hand in the air haphazardly.

"That guy, the teacher, he's just like an octopus, y'know? Grabs you and won't let ya go; ensnares you in his grasp, the slithery son of a gun. Hahaha..." You drawled, watching as some of the customers in the small bar only offer you strange looks before turning away. You let out a small chuckle, trying to play off the moment, though your nerves were effectively shot. The alcohol wouldn't let you stop there, however, and you hear yourself speaking loudly as your palms grip the edge of the counter.

"Anyway, soooo he's great, you know! He acts like an idiot half the time, but...but...I dunno, it makes me feel good when he's around. Like a big, bouncing ball of sunshine made into a person, or somethin'! And, and—" You hear a loud thunk, disrupting your embarrassing rant, making you turn your head to the side it originated from.

"Oh, Azusa-Chan, that guy...He's lookin' a liiiitle out of it. Maybe you could give him a hand." You say, motioning your hand to the tall businessman face down on the table, his drink spilled over onto the counter, his oddly shaped face flushed red. At least he seemed out of it; your own vision was slightly less focused because of all the drink you had consumed. He was just a oddly shaped blur, a mix of greys and tan. Must be worse with alcohol than you were, you thought, a small grin creeping up on your face. Irina was staring at him quite intensely though, her gaze seeming to try and pierce through him. _Does she like 'im? Awww…_ You think, gently tapping the blonde on the back of her shoulder. She jumps, slightly surprised, as you lean into her, mouth close to her ear as you whisper as quietly as you can manage.

"Checkin' that guy out, huuuuh? Hahahaha, you goooo girl." Irina only gives you an odd look, her hand on your shoulder.

"Hahaha, no, not really! He seems to...be more your type, I think." You just grin back, chuckling as you lean back in your seat, twirling around in your chair a couple times.

"Him? No, I couldn't betray Sensei like that. Even, even if it's not official yet...I still...couldn't do that to him. It would probably break his poor, adorable heart!" You slur out, your voice getting louder at the end there. You watch as someone grabs the bottle of sake you had been drinking, Azusa's piercing glare seeming to chill you to the bone.

"Okay, [Name]-San, I think you're done for today. It's getting late; you should probably head home." She says, you nodding to her suggestion. It makes sense, to your addled mind, and you take out your wallet to pay for the bill, Irina and Hotaru being nice enough to help you with getting the right bills. You weren't that drunk that you couldn't make out your surroundings but, it certainly didn't help with your swaying and bobbing vision.

After making sure you paid the correct amount for the both of you, you get up from your bar stool, quickly grabbing your bag and start to wave goodbye to the girls. Irina just grins at you, you politely as you can declining her offer to walk you to the bus stop; you didn't want to trouble her with your drunk self, after all. Yet you do feel another pair of eyes on you as you open the glass doors and walk out into the night.


	11. Time For Self-Comfort

You just attempt to turn your key into the lock, the door finally pushing inward after a couple turns. You just let out a small sigh, slamming the door closed and locking it. What a day you had...Your mind was still hazy, probably due to the effects of the alcohol, and you just wanted to change out of your work clothes and relax. It also didn't help the odd heat you felt in your cheeks, your stomach twisting for a reason you couldn't understand; spreading throughout your whole body. Dropping your bag to the floor, you just walk to your bedroom. _Mmmm...I feel kinda odd..._ You think as you change into your sleepwear, heading to the bathroom as best you can in your drunken state.

You weren't too bad off, just a tad disoriented, but it was enough to make your steps somewhat clumsy as you prepared to get ready for bed. You shiver as you get under the covers of your bed, the cold blankets doing little to keep you warm. If only the bed wasn't so cold when you got home...It was kind of lonely. Maybe you should get more pillows or plush toys to fill the void, you thought, a sad smile crossing your face as you held one of them tightly against you. It always greeted you when you turned on the bedroom light; one of your favorites, despite the wear and tear from being hugged so often over the years, and you snuggled with it nearly every night. Still, it couldn't compare to the actual heat of a real life person.

Almost immediately, your mind drifts to _him,_ wondering what it would be like if his large body was cuddling beside you. He was quite soft, and warm, you think, remembering the few times you had come into contact with Koro Sensei. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but you could clearly recall the feeling of his limbs wrapped around you. The incident in the store room came to mind then, your face and body heating up as you began to let your imagination take over. _Like he would ever..._ You hear yourself say, the mood slightly dampened by your pessimism. You try not to let it get to you, focusing all of your attention on the scenario you had imagined. You start to grasp your breasts with your hand, cupping one and circling the hardened bud with your fingertip. It feels as if an electric current is surging through you, jerking your body against the sheets and making your crotch start to tingle furiously. You imagine his tendrils replacing your fingers, his all knowing feelers able to massage your nipple even better than you could yourself.

' _Oh dear, [Name]-Sensei, I always imagined touching them, but...this is so much better!'_ You imagine him saying, skin flushed pink with lust as he continues to wrap more appendages around you. You feel your own hands remove your pants, shucking them off to expose your underwear, the cold air refreshing to your hot thighs.

If only the kids hadn't been watching, you thought shamelessly, remembering the offer he had made. Not that you would have accepted it; you had some pride and respect for yourself after all. You wanted to make sure he was serious before doing anything of that nature; and that meant seeing you as a person, not an object. Still, you can't help yourself as you remember the feeling of his many appendages start to wrap around your limbs. The cute way his cheeks had been furiously blushing despite his attempts to hide them. The way his tiny eyes seemed to pierce right through you with their mischievous gaze.

' _Are you sure I can't help you with those?'_

His suggestion tickles your ears, making your face flush with embarrassment. The heat in your abdomen only intensifies, moving slowly to your crotch. It's tingly, warm, and makes you concerned. You've never really felt it this intensely before; though you instinctively understand what it is, having experienced it a couple times. It was an aching between your thighs, throbbing like a pulse. You just maneuver your hand down to your abdomen, pulling your underwear down slightly to expose your entrance, your fingers brushing against the heat of your clit. The feeling of them rubbing against yourself makes you gasp, as you gingerly take your fingers and continue, building up a steady rhythm. You just feel the heat surge through your body, a soft gasp escaping your lips as you feel a slick wetness begin to slide down your thighs.

' _Hmm? We've barely begun and you're already so wet!'_

You just keep rocking on your back, even going so far to stick a couple fingers inside for added effect. It was tight, but not too difficult for you to find another sensitive spot with which to rub against. As you feel yourself start to gush again, you arch backwards as waves of pleasure start to flow through you. It was so nice, exhilarating even; if only he was actually here so you could see and feel him react to it. Using your fingers, you imagine his appendages wiggling inside you, hardening slightly as they too became taut with need. You just start to let out a small moan, feeling the efforts of your exploration start to pay off, release finally coming in the form of dripping thighs and loosening walls.

"A-aah, Koro S-Sensei…"

You just lay there, panting from the exertion, the throbbing finally dying down. Your face is still flushed with heat, waiting for the high to finally leave you, a twinge of sadness coming over you just then. _He'd never...Well, at least I have this._ You think, feeling tears start to emerge out of the corners of your eyes. That effectively kills any desire you had to try again, and you just bury your face in your pillow, ashamed of yourself. Thankfully, it is only a few minutes before you are settled enough to even attempt to go to sleep, wet spots staining your cheek and the pillow underneath. Sleep takes you soon after, a small comfort as you remember you are sharing Home Economics with him tomorrow...


	12. Time For Accusations

Your morning is uneventful as you get ready for the day, though your face flushes as you take your bedsheets and put them in the washing machine, quickly going to shower yourself so you could get them ready after you finished. That was really the only thing of note as you went about your daily routine. Though, you started to remember, you had Home Ec with him at the end of the day. Call it a mutual compromise of sorts, seeing as he had taken half of your classes for the year. You originally had wanted full coverage of said class, but he had been so insistent on teaching that class that you had eventually let him have it. You worked up a deal; he would teach it while you supervised in the background, sometimes even helping set up, cleaning afterwards or offering your own idea for the next class recipe.

Also, helping the students try out their assassination attempts on him during this time had become something of a hobby for you. Sadly, none of them had worked out so far, said octopus being immune to most human poisons. You both knew he didn't need your help; he could easily do all that himself, but you thought it was the least you could do. Already noticing it was past time for you to go, you quickly left your apartment, catching the bus and walking to the tiny building without much trouble...

As fate would have it, you were thankfully early for the day as you checked your watch for the fifth time, slowly walking into the staff room with apprehension. Nothing to worry about, idiot. You just set your things down on the table, draping your coat over a chair to claim it as yours, which had soon become a new addition to your ritual. Seconds passed into minutes as you got all of your material for the day ready, finally reclining back against said chair as you held a book you were working on finishing.

The sound of footsteps made you pause only momentarily, barely passing a glance to the two humans coming into the room. Though you exchanged muffled pleasantries, Karasuma gruffly responding back before settling into his own seat, Irina was slightly more proactive, a grin on her face as she went to sit near you. You feel your face start to burn as you half remember your drunken spiel, embarrassment heating your cheeks as you stare at the woman. Not the least of which were the things you had done last night. Thank God he had no idea of what was said...or done. You could take solace in that small fact, at least. Irina only chucked softly, probably understanding what you had gotten so worked up about.

"What?" You mutter, giving the blonde a harsh stare to deflect the anxiety in your stomach. She only rolled with it, her eyes bright as she asked how you had gotten home, to which you responded succinctly. No need to give her more ammo, you figured, trying to keep your conversation more focused on school work and the kids' studies. All too soon, the familiar round head popped up out of the classroom window, chirping out his usual morning greeting, startling you and causing you to let out a small squeal of surprise; book slipping out of your grasp, falling from your precarious position on the chair. You weren't sure why you yelled out; Koro Sensei's odd introductions and ways he entered rooms was nothing new to you in the month and a half you had been here. Still, your mind had been so focused on last night's discussion, that you completely were blindsided by his sudden entrance. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you wanted to look at the situation, you weren't too surprised when you felt his numerous tentacles slide underneath you, the soft appendages pulling your once limp form against him. All you notice now is his leering face, eyes narrowed mischievously, very close to yours, green stripes mocking you. You do see the faintest trace of pink on his cheeks, too flustered by his sudden hold on you to comment.

"Oh, did I startle you?"

"N-no,Thanks for...I'm not...Can you p-please put me down?" You manage to mutter out, your face turning a deep shade of red despite your efforts to remain calm. It was difficult however, being wrapped in his many appendages; your mind slowly going back to the fantasy you had played out earlier. You just try to shove the thoughts away, your gaze going to the other two teachers in the room. Karasuma did little more than glance at the two of you, returning to his work once more, though Irina seemed to be smiling. You were just thankful to be put down, your heart racing like you had run a few miles, sweat starting to bead your palms. You did have enough sense to offer him a quick bow however, Koro Sensei offering a small chuckle in response, hurriedly returning to your seat to focus on something other than the twisting of your gut.

The whole day was similarly like this, your body unusually tense every time you were in the same room with him. You did your best to avoid physical contact or proximity with the man whenever possible, every touch sending an odd sensation through you. You couldn't help it; memories of what you had done last night sprang to the forefront of your mind, making feel even more awkward around the teacher than you usually did. If he had any idea of what was going on, he certainly didn't show it. The kids however, Karma and Rio especially, enjoyed messing with you when they could. Small things; comments, chuckles, rolled eyes whenever you attempted to shoot down their theories.

Thankfully they were kind enough to not do it when Koro was present, though the redhead threatened to do so on several occasions during the day. You did your best to ignore his taunts, despite the ever growing pit of anxiety settling in your stomach. You just settled on gathering the courage to finally choose a time and place for the supposed date you were going on. Maybe if you both finally got it out in the open, the date being the trigger, it would be easier to lighten this odd tension between you. At least that was your hope as you gathered the things for Home Economics, setting the numerous bags of food onto the main table in said classroom. It was quite tiring, as there was quite a bit of ingredients, seeing as you had to supply enough for all twenty plus members of the class. And a few extras in case people made mistakes; thankfully the meal was a simple one and didn't cost too much to reproduce.

Koro Sensei seemed appreciative of the gestures at least, entering the empty classroom with an odd 'spring' in his step, his grin widening a fraction when he noticed you in your usual spot; a chair in one of the front corners of the room. You just watch him get all the things set up, the impromptu chef's uniform he had donned making him look quite the part, putting every individual groups' set of ingredients on their tables. Despite it being close to the end of the day, the octopus was as carefree and bubbly as ever as he went about the preparations, though his disposition weakened slightly at seeing your expression. You just watch him walk over to you, seemingly done with his preparations, feeling anxiety bubble up in the pit of your stomach once again. It certainly didn't help any when he gave you a tiny bow, butterflies building up and making you queasy.

"Thank you for the help in preparing for today, [Name]-Sensei!" He says, his grin widening a fraction as his onyx eyes seemed to watch you like a hawk. You just shuffled in your seat, still unused to the pure sincerity of his words, your face flushing slightly as you tilted your neck downwards to look at the floor. You didn't deserve such praise; you just brought the ingredients, and came up with the recipe. It wasn't really anything worthy of such a nice sounding 'thank you', you felt. He would be doing most of the work...

"You're not used to receiving compliments are you?" He responds, causing you to slowly nod, your face heating up even more because of embarrassment. You feel his two pronged fingers tilt your chin upwards then, so that you were staring directly at his grinning face.

"I suppose I'll have to do it more often then!" He jovially shouts, a small gasp escaping your throat as you feel like your heart has stopped completely. It didn't help much that, for the second time today, his face was pretty close to yours. You notice the pink tinge of his skin; where before it was its usual yellow, pink blotches covering his cheeks. _So...he's not lying?_ You think, insecurity starting to get the better of you. You really hoped he meant it; his sincere smile giving you most of the proof you needed.

Still, a voice at the back of your head warned for caution; he could be deceiving you. _Why though? What would he have to gain?_ You argue with yourself, feeling your eyes start to cross due to strain. You just feel something soft bump into your nose then, breaking your odd trance, your eyes now focusing on the slanting black orbs that seemed to study you. It was his face, once again completely level with yours, eyes gazing intensely at you, the part that would have had a nose pressed into your own so fiercely you noticed indents appearing on his pink skin. The area, you remembered, where you had so daringly pressed your lips against in a moment of selfish desire. Did he remember it as well?

"..." Your throat felt very dry, tongue sticking up against the roof of your mouth. Thankfully, the sound of students walking down the hallways snapped the two of you back to reality, his lithe form quickly moving back toward the front of the class. He just attempted to look busy, going over the ingredients and recipe while the kids started to file in one by one.

His face, in stark contrast, was completely white, devoid of any expression at all. You were slightly envious of him then; if only you could do something to hide the fierce blush across your cheeks. You only let out a sharp exhale, trying to calm the intense thudding of your heart against your rib cage. Of course, to your dismay, several of the kids walking in noticed this, and they were grinning deviously as you covered your face with your hands.

 _'Oh, they're together again.'_

 _'So? [Name]-Sensei always helps teach this class...'_

 _'Yeah, but...look at her face! You don't think…Koro Sensei did anything, do ya?_ '

Similar comments flooded through the room, slowly breaking the man's calm facade, and by extension yours, by the time everyone was seated and ready. You did notice that his voice was a bit off as he gave the command to begin, shaky almost, as if he had trouble composing himself.

"E-enough talking! Now, it's t-time for home ec to begin!"

The two of you just stare at the finished dish, acutely feeling the eyes of the entire class on you. You gulp, turning to the taller teacher with a worried look. It wasn't that you were worried about the quality; he had made it after all, you just weren't too partial to some of the ingredients in said dish. Koro Sensei seemed even less enthused, nervous beads of sweat appearing on his round head. Then again, that could just be from the heat of cooking said dish...

"Well, one of us has to try it…"

"I think it would be best if you did. I'm not...particularly fond of steaming hot foods."

"Fine, fine, you giant baby...How do I even eat this?" You sigh, moving over to the assembled dish and it's flustered chef, looking at it with the intensity you would when grading a students paper. It wasn't anything you had eaten before, honestly never one to stray too far from what made you comfortable, so you weren't too sure how to approach it. You just gently use a utensil to grab a portion of said foodstuff, poking it a couple times to make sure it was cooked, the steam fogging up your glasses for a few moments, bending over slightly to reach the place it was seated in. You just feel a large grin on your face, the one that came about when you were lying or trying to hide something, usually horribly, as you hear one of the kids shout out something.

' _Oh, he's checking [Name]-Sensei out again! Geez, why is our teacher such a shameless pervert!_ '

You just feel the grip on said utensil loosen, the object leaving your hand to fly against the front wall of the classroom. It hit the floor with a splattering clatter, food on it now ruined despite the efforts you both made to clean the classroom floor earlier that day. You just turn you head slightly his way, Koro Sensei's face a deep pink as he shook it in denial, the feeling of something warm and wet starting to drip down your nose. You don't really focus on that, wanting to hear his defense. He only looks at you for a fraction of a second, then back at the children, before he clears his throat in an attempt to speak.

"N-no, I wouldn't—What do you take me for? W-w-what are you saying?" He blurts out, mouth stuttering in protest, limbs flailing as they did whenever he was flustered, several of the kids accusingly pointing and yelling at the tall teacher. You could barely hear them over the thudding of your heart, their argument becoming more heated as the seconds went by, it's beat echoing against your very eardrums. You just know that your legs are starting to shake, your knees trembling despite your best efforts to keep your composure.

"Oh? Well here's proof then, Koro Sensei!"

You watch as one of the students pulls out their phone, your eyes taking a moment to adjust as you take out your device and see the small screen. It was a video. A video of the two of you in the small shed, your lips earnestly pressed against his shocked face, which had quickly turned into a deep pink. It wasn't the best quality; the camera angle was off and the sounds, ones that you could make out at least, came through muffled. Still, it was there; undeniable proof of what you had done, almost like a slap to the face. You just watched the playback soundlessly, your ears burning like they were on fire, mouth agape in what you could only describe as shock. _Oh god..._ Those were the last coherent thoughts you could muster before the scene in front of you overwhelmed your senses, your consciousness slowly fading as your body tilted backwards on failing legs.


	13. Time For Proposals

Your head feels heavy as you blink your eyes open, white lights causing you to reflexively raise an arm to cover your good eye. It takes a few moments for you to adjust, eyes stinging as you move your arm away from your face, doing your best to look around the room. It was a simple room, small, probably similar to what one would see in the main campus if it had a nurses office. Though much less polished and elegant, it still served its purpose.

 _I passed out...Right_. You remember, almost instantaneously recalling the events that led you here. You feel your face heat up despite yourself, a strained sigh escaping through your lips. You regretting making that small noise immediately afterwards, Koro Sensei zipping to your side in less than a second, comforting grin on his round face as he leaned down towards you.

"Ah, you're awake. Good, good. How do you feel?" He chirped, making you squirm slightly under the covers. It wasn't that you hated the concern; you almost enjoyed it. If it wasn't for the fact that you messed up again, turning your nerves on edge, you'd enjoy this odd situation. Waking up to his smiling face and cheery tone wasn't that bad... _Get it together, you fool!_

"Oh, y-yes. I'm completely fine. Thank you for the assistance." You internally cringe at your words, knowing that you had begun to slip back in formal speaking patterns. Which you did when you were nervous or unsettled. Which he obviously picked up on by now. Goddammit!

"Well, I'm just glad it was nothing serious. That flustered look on your face was something, I admit!" He said, his cheeks blushing a deep pink as you felt one of his fingers stroke your cheek.

"E-Eh? W-what are you...saying…?"

You just want to take the pillow and smother yourself with it. Your anxiety only builds by the second, your eyes looking anywhere but at the person causing it. His eyes are narrowed, a knowing look on his round face that only makes you more ashamed, and slightly angry with him. _To pass out like that...In front of the whole class, too. I doubt they'd buy that it was because of the food, would they? Those kids are sharp..._ You reason, your hands unconsciously moving up to cover your face, your heart feeling as if it was going to burst out of your chest. You just let out a deep exhale, trying to relive some of the tension from your aching body.

"So...I think I...should get going? I've probably taken up much of your t-time already. S-Sorry." You mutter, unsure of yourself, as guilt floods through you. You felt bad for having him stay behind to take care of you. _Again_. You reminded yourself; this was possibly the second or third time he had done so. You just attempt to get up off of the small cot you had been lying on, swinging your legs over the bed frame. Koro Sensei just stares at you blankly, as you slowly get up and start to walk towards the rooms exit.

"Ah, [Name]-Sensei, are you sure you should be up soon? You did pass out, after all…" You hear him say, the concern clear in his voice, making your stomach flop slightly. Yet, this was exactly why you had to go; so you stopped inconveniencing him. You had probably ruined the rest of Home Economics, and you didn't want to continue to interfere. At least the school day was over with. _Maybe...Maybe it's better if I resign. I'm no help to anybody like this after all..._ You dejectedly think, your reasoning quite sound. Well, there were still a few days left in the week; you could at least try and redeem yourself before the weekend. If not, you'd get everything ready for Monday. Yes, that would be the best thing, you figured.

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks…" You hear yourself mutter, your voice sounding hollow even to you. You just continue walking toward the door, ignoring his pointed stare your way. A thought stops you before your hand closes over the doorknob, surprising you with its forwardness, though you partially wanted to see how it would go. You just feel your face start to heat up, turning your head slightly towards him. Well...it couldn't hurt; you doubted you could feel any worse than you did right now. Maybe this would help improve your mood a little...You open your mouth to start to speak, having an idea of what you want to say, but feel the words catch in your throat; the only thing escaping your lips a strangled noise.

"Ah…" You instantly regret it, feeling your face flush with heat as you hurriedly close your mouth shut, embarrassment making you wonder why you even bothered. It's not like he would say yes. Especially not after the pitifully display you had showed him today. But you had to try, you thought, determination fighting with the insecurity within you. You felt your spirits droop, a dismissive smile gracing your lips as you turn toward him one last time.

"N-never mind, it's noth—"

"No, you were going to ask me something, weren't you!? What was it!?" You just blink as you feel him intrude your personal space again, excitedly hammering away as his hands flew about when he was excited, his eyes glimmering with an odd sparkle that made your hair stand up on end.

' _Yeah, do I think I should resign…?'_ You silently joke to yourself, as you lose your previous confidence as a wave of self-loathing hits you squarely in the chest, making you nearly lower your head in shame. The change in Koro Sensei's mood was immediate; you could feel the anger emanating from him, his usual oval eyes narrowing to thin slits as you feel him glare at you. This only made you more anxious, your back arching up slightly against the wooden door frame, palms searching for anything to grip onto. You let out a sharp gasp as you feel his tentacles latch onto your wrists quite strongly, pulling them forward.

"Resign!? Oh, sometimes your bashfulness is quite troublesome!" He shouts, shaking his reddening head slightly. _What did I do now?_ You think, wondering how you annoyed him again today. He wasn't really angry; just mildly annoyed or inconvenienced. He'd be pitch black otherwise; and his usually light tone would be replaced by a sinister, deep growl.

"W-well what else can I do!? I keep distracting everybody whenever I'm around you! I obviously don't have the mental fortitude for this; falling in love with the guy who's going to destroy the Earth!? How insane is that? I'm a real basket case, that's what…" You say, half-rambling as you watch his expression change once again. You swore you could see his red face slowly change to a dark pink, but you played it off as your bad eyesight, continuing to speak.

"I'm just going to get in everyone's way. Maybe I should ask to have the class's memory wiped of me as well as my own memories of you. That way, it'd be like I was never here and you had been teaching them all this stuff...At least, it seems like the correct thing to do…"

 _Though I'd honestly miss everyone. And you, of course, you big dork...but...maybe that is a better option._ You reason, looking down and avoiding his gaze. You just feel his numerous appendages start to tilt your head upward, shaking your head slightly to try and get them off. It doesn't work, of course, and you try to ignore him by refusing to make eye contact. Which is quite difficult, as his round head is the only thing in your field of view. You notice it is purple now, a large cross in the center; much like when the students answered a question incorrectly during class.

"So you're just going to run away and leave your students? That's quite irresponsible of you." His tone is quiet and deflated, making your stomach churn with guilt.

"...I don't know. My head's telling me one thing, but my heart is saying another. It was just a fleeting thought; a show of my true self, my cowardice. The kids count on me for so much...I don't think I could abandon them now." You feel your face start to twitch in an odd smile then, your eyes half-lidded as you stare at Koro Sensei.

"Besides, leaving them alone with a perverse octopus like you leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You need someone to try and keep you on the straight and narrow, eh?" You joke, watching as his expression softens, his mouth opens incredulously wide to show off his many teeth.

"Aw, c'mon! Am I really that incorrigible? I thought I was doing a good job as a teacher!" He pouts, making your spirits lift slightly. You just wink at him, a smirk on your face despite the sudden blush coming over your cheeks.

"Oh, you're not doing half bad. Still, I'd feel better if I could keep a...closer eye on you though. Maybe on the weekends, or sometimes after class, just to be safe, you know? What do you think?" You say, feeling your face burn hotly with embarrassment. You weren't planning on being so forward, but you wanted him to understand completely what you were getting at. You just hope it didn't sound too lame...You watch as his face turns pink again, appendages wiggling slightly as they hold you.

"O-ooh, you! Of course I wouldn't mind spending more quality time with you as well! Hohoho! [Name]-Sensei, you have no idea how that makes me feel, you know!" He shouts, his form trembling against you slightly. _I think I have some idea..._ You joke, a smile creeping onto your face. You do notice his gaze turn slightly serious for a moment, dampening the mood a bit as you feel anxiety strike.

"You do understand, [Name]-Sensei, that a relationship isn't a panacea; your doubts and frustrations will not be removed by this. Not wholly, though I will try to help where I can. Having someone to support you through rough patches does make it easier. That's something only you can do yourself…"

"Of course! That's partly why I was hesitant in asking in the first place; I don't _want_ to use you to cope with my mental and physical baggage. That wouldn't be fair to you! I mean, the whole point of a _relationship_ is for two people to trust and rely on each other, isn't it? That's kinda what we've been doing, sort of? I'm not sure what I can give you, but...This might be selfish...you always seem so cheerful and carefree. I was only thinking...maybe if I spent more time with you, I'd learn how to enjoy life? I just want to...I dunno...It sounds silly now that I think about it. And horribly selfish; you aren't really getting anything out of it…" You ramble, feeling tears start to pool at the corner of your eyes. _I'm such a jerk!_ You just try your hardest to blink them away, not wanting to show any sign of weakness right now.

Well, at least you had tried to say your piece, incoherent rambling or no. All you could do was wait for his eventual words of rejection and refusal, focusing intently on his face. Surprisingly, it doesn't happen immediately, though you do see his eyes widen in apparent shock. That much you had expected. What you didn't expect was the hearty chuckle that came afterwards, his grin seeming to grow larger than before, if that was even possible.

"Huh. It seems you had put more thought into this than I anticipated...You really do overthink things too much, don't you?"

A sudden, strong tug has your shocked face collide with the front of his robes, your nose taking in the brunt of his scent. You feel your heart start to pound again, beating impossibly fast against your chest. You exhale as you feel his fingers start to rub the small of your back, relaxing you slightly from the tension. His breath tickles your ear, making you shudder a bit at the close contact.

"Ah, this is why I'm worried about you, [Name]-Sensei! You need to relax, lighten up and not worry so much."

"Yeah, well...hopefully you can teach me how to be less of a stick in the mud as the year goes on. I'd appreciate it…"

"Of course; though I will expect...repayment for my services." You watch his cheeks turn red at that, a similar blush coming over your own face.

"Maybe...That all depends on how you act from here on out. I'm not asking you to change overnight; that would be foolish. A small step in the right direction wouldn't hurt, though…" You say, pulling your lip down slightly in a sort of sultry pout. At least, you hope it looks alluring; that was how you saw it in all the media you've consumed so far.

"You must be crazy to suggest such a thing. I'm human, or I was, with my own faults like anybody else, you know...Have you not seen anything I've done at all this past month and a half?" He says, causing you to let out a small laugh of your own. You just look up at him, a genuine smile on your face. It quickly turns into a fake frown however, your eyes glaring up at him with the most pressing gaze you could manage. _Note to self; ask Irina for better seduction tips. Otome and hentai aren't going to cut it_!

"That's too bad, Koro Sensei. Here I was hoping we had things all settled out. So I guess you don't want to spend time with me this Sunday?" You feel your heart nearly stop as you ask that question, his body tensing as he takes in your words.

"I-I didn't say that! Mmmm...I'll try to compromise, at least. And I expect you to do the same!" He stutters, your eyes narrowing as you devilishly flash him a grin.

"What are you talking about? I've only had my eye on _you_ this whole time, you dork!" You feel his body slump slightly, the tremors from his appendages becoming longer and more frequent.

"I-is that so!? I mean, p-part of me hoped, but I never would have thought! You really are innocent, aren't you!?"

"Oh, Sensei...You'll see how _innocent_ I truly am eventually." You respond, giving him a long, hard kiss in the middle of his face.


	14. Time For Apprenshion

An actual date, huh? You understood the concept well enough, but to actually go on one was...well, it was going to be interesting for sure. His words still rang in your head as you tried to fall asleep; tossing and turning under the covers.

'How about this Sunday, then? I-it's nothing too big...We'd just be grading papers, really…'

'Hmm...That's fine, I guess...Sunday it is, then!'

It probably isn't as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be...You think, feeling your face heat up slightly despite yourself. Maybe going back to work would keep you busy enough so that you could preoccupy yourself with other things; enough for you to stop losing yourself over the very thought of him at least…

A

That only proved to be partially successful, you realize. You do your best to stay calm and composed around said teacher, especially with the students around, but it's slightly difficult for you. It's enough for anyone to notice that something has happened between the two of you, though you both embarrassedly try to deny any accusations thrown your way. And so it was that you just plopped down in the staff room for lunch, tired and mentally exhausted. Of course, this was the perfect time for the other teachers to grill you, seeing as it was your lunch break. Irina herself looked particularly intrigued about what was going on, a mischievous sparkle in her azure eyes.

"Hmm? I'm not sure what you're referring to." You answer, doing your best to keep your voice as serious and even keeled as possible. The other two people in the room only stare at you more profusely, Karasuma giving you a small frown as you notice his eyes narrow. Irina can only sigh at you, leaning her body across the empty space between the chairs the two of you were sitting in. She was quite close, much more close than you would have liked, and the look in her eyes only made you more anxious.

"[Name]-Sensei, we're not idiots. So what happened?" You just tilt your head in confusion, stomach twisting as you tried to understand what she was talking about. It suddenly occurred to you that you hadn't seen either of them after your talk with Koro Sensei in the infirmary. What does that have to do with anything? Just because you went home a little later than usual...It clicks suddenly, as you feel your face start to flush embarrassedly, a panicked chuckle escaping your lips.

"Ahaha, Irina-Sensei, what are you suggesting!? Nothing really happened yesterday..." You stop talking then, too anxious and embarrassed to say anything about the planned date. You felt if you said anything out loud, it would ruin your chances. Like something would come up and force you to cancel; that kind of superstition. So you just shut your mouth, Irina giving you a curious glare in response.

"Ah, spill it! You're hiding something, aren't you!?" You just shake your head profusely, not wanting to give an inch. Irina only lets out a small sigh, frowning, before her eyes are focused on something past you. You just huff and roll your eyes, feeling the back of your neck start to prickle, understanding who she is looking at. You feel unease start to spread through you, as well as another, lighter feeling when you turn your head slightly and see an all too familiar set of robes, the wearer of said outfit looking at the two of you intently.

"Hmm? I heard Irina-Sensei mention a secret—what are you two talking about!?" He lilts, his pitch raised slightly as his eyes gleamed with curiosity. He really was just like a child. You just roll your eyes, a smirk coming over your face as you stare at him. It was slightly annoying how worked up he got over gossip, you didn't care much for petty rumors yourself, but you did enjoy his odd enthusiasm. It almost felt like he was spreading that energy of his around; and you could use a boost or two.

"What? It's nothing really..." You say, doing your best to ignore the widening grin on his face. You swore you could see the beginning of a blush on his cheeks, ignoring the heat flushing to your own face, closing your eyes and clearing your throat before continuing.

"Mmm...These two seem to be under the impression that something happened between us yesterday. I can't convince them otherwise; you take a shot at it…" You say, causing him to narrow his eyes slightly, a mischievous grin on his face. Oh great...That look only meant trouble and frustration. He was up to something, wasn't he? You only felt your stomach turn again as one of his appendages wrapped itself around your arm, making you let out a small gasp.

"Well, if you must know…" Your stomach curled at his words, your body tensing as you tried to slink down further into said chair. It didn't really work, considering the grip he had on your arm, and the fact that the chair was wood and not the best to curl inside.

"[Name]-Sensei and I are planning on going on our first date, this Sunday! I can't wait!" He continues, his voice slightly rising in volume. Irina only gives you a shocked look, her eyes darting between your nearly fetal positioned form and his bubbling body as his appendages wiggled again.

"So that's it! Why were you keeping quiet, [Name]-Sensei!"

"...I...I'm just nervous, I guess…"

You sheepishly answer, doing your best to sit straight in the chair, closing your eyes as you felt your cheeks flare up again. It's true; you were pretty nervous about it. That was partly why you were out of it all day, burying yourself into your work as an excuse to try and not talk as much as possible. Of course now that plan had failed, seeing as Irina had managed to corner you during your lunch break. You supposed the students also suspected something was up as well; they were smart kids. Especially Karma and Nagisa. They haven't started to give you lip yet, but it was only a matter of time before the teasing began in full force.

"Nervous?" You hear him ask, causing you to let out a small sigh, covering your face with your hand. Thankfully his wiggling appendage let go of you just then, giving you a little more room to breathe.

"..." You don't respond, only letting out a struggling groan as you feel his gaze on you, making you even more self-conscious.

"About what? Just think of it as one of our normal evening…" He stopped speaking at that point, his gaze seeming somewhat perplexed as he stood in thought for a moment. Was he nervous too? He just turned to you, gaze somewhat confused despite the pink sheen glowing on his cheeks.

"Uhh...uhhhm...I don't know?" You say honestly, trying to hide the anxiety in your tone. You finally realizing I'm not as amazing as you make me out to be, probably...You could feel your palms start to sweat slightly, thoughts you had tried to suppress now coming to the front of your conscious mind.

"What are you guys talking about?" You hear Irina ask, surprise clear on your face for a moment. You had been spending quite a few days after school with Koro Sensei after all, yesterday being no different. Of course, due to your different schedules, you couldn't meet every day. Though you tried making it a point to do so when you could, seeing his advice and suggestions as invaluable. He really was a great teacher, you thought. Were they really not aware of that? You knew that the two of them understood you sometimes helped him with making test questions on Wednesday's, since that was often plain to see. For them to not know of your evening work with said teacher was a bit odd, to you at least.

"Hmm? Ah, sometimes I stay late to help grade papers, go over the curriculum, things like that…Koro Sensei is really smart and helpful, you know? He always finds ways to help me out…" You say, utterly baffled by the smirk on Irina's face. You didn't understand what she was getting at, exactly. It's not like you'd ever had the courage to try doing anything during your evenings together. You weren't even sure how Koro Sensei would react if you did. Though, you hoped it would be favorably; if you ever had the courage to do such things, anyway...I'm probably far off of his radar...He can do better. You notice as her eyes start to narrow then, their heated gaze focused on the octopus near you. He just seems to shrink under her stare, appendages wobbling fervently.

"Do you, now? Is that all?"

You hear her tease, causing your face to flush slightly. You let out a small laugh, your self doubt prompting you to speak your thoughts out loud.

"What are you saying, Irina-Sensei? ...I'm not that attractive, honestly..."

"Oh, is that what you keep telling yourself? I doubt Koro Sensei thinks that at all! Hmmm?"

You just watch her gaze turn to the taller teacher's, focusing on his nervous expression, cheeks flushing as his beady eyes looked your way. You couldn't exactly tell what was in those eyes, though you felt butterflies in your stomach the longer he stared at you.

"E-eh!? W-w-Well…"

Irina's smile only becomes bigger, the woman stepping off of her chair to stand closer to you both. You feel her slink past the two of you, her head resting on your right shoulder, breath tickling your ear as she whispered.

"See? He can't give a straight answer...That more or less proves it!"

You just feel a sly smile form on your face as she pulls away from you; Irina's words only solidifying the doubt in your mind. He can't give an answer because he's too kind to hurt my feelings in front of me with a straight out rejection...This date will prove it. You reason, feeling your stomach clench into knots.

"[Name]-Sensei is quite cute...Or maybe endearing would be a better word for it!? Ah, I can't find just one word to describe her…"

You hear him say, half muttering the last part to himself, a strangled noise erupting out of your throat then.

"W-what!?" You hear yourself shout, even going so far as to speak in English. It took a moment or two for his words to sink in, your brain frazzled as you tried your best to focus on them. You felt his gaze on you, scrutinizing you, his eyes wide in surprise as he regarded the somewhat neutral expression on your face. You had to bite the inside of your mouth to keep from giving yourself away.

"H-huh!? You don't believe me, do you, [Name]-Sensei!? Ah, that hurts, really!"

You couldn't respond to that one, only slinking against the wood frame of the chair in emotional agony. Thankfully, the bell signaling the end of lunch period had started to ring. It's loud clamor made you aware of the classes you were in charge of next, hurriedly packing your things together and cleaning your spot in the staff room. You wanted to get to the classroom early, after all, and have all of your lesson plans in order. That was part of your regular routine, and certainly wasn't because of a few certain people making your lunch hour more hectic than it needed to be.

"W-well, I-I have classes to teach, so…"

You quickly move to the door, sliding through it with as much grace as you can manage. They're going to kill me one of these days... You just do your best to take a deep breath, calming your frazzled nerves before you went into the classroom.


	15. Time for Dating!

All too soon, Sunday reared its head faster than you expected. Or was it slower? You weren't sure; you only knew that you felt a sense of apprehension when you woke up that morning, looking at your digital alarm clock. You only did your best to look the part, doing your clothes, hair and such with more effort than you put in than usual. Still, you felt a pang of doubt as you examined yourself in the mirror; you didn't look that different from how you were at school. Would he even notice the extra jewelry and blush you were wearing? Or that your perfume was a different scent? Probably not…

Thoughts like these flitted to your mind as you left your apartment and took the bus into the city, dampening your mood. You were both excited and nervous about today, wanting things to go very well, despite your earlier anxiety about the entire situation. You weren't too sure about what to expect, but you wanted to try and stay positive, or at least not be a depressing mess while you were with him.

Which was easy enough; usually just the sight of him made you feel all warm and fuzzy, drowning out your depression. Checking your watch to be sure of the time, you noticed that you were half an hour early for the appointed meeting time. Well, you'd rather be early than late, you figured. Besides, the climb up the mountain would probably take you some time; another reason why you decided to depart early.

Luckily, the trip didn't take you as long as you thought, having found your own way to make it up to the building. You stand at the entrance to the place, slightly hesitant. You aren't sure whether to make your presence known or not; calling out felt weird to you.

"H-hello?"

You wait for a moment, feeling stupid as your voice echoes into the empty hallways. Not here, huh? You decide to work up the courage to walk inside, your steps slightly hesitant as you make your way to the staff room. Where else would the two of you grade papers, after all? No one; it is empty as you expected, the sun peeking through the small window to let columns of light into the room. You notice a small note on the staff room table, promoting you to go over and take a look at it. Thankfully the lettering was big enough for you to read it without trouble, no need for your adaptive technology.

The thought that he took the time and effort to accomodate you made your heart ache. Not that he didn't usually, but you were used to being ignored, seen as an annoyance or seeing your accommodations not being met by your peers. He was so considerate, when he wasn't being an adorable, yet perverted idiot. That was part of what you liked about the cute looking teacher; Koro Sensei was kind enough to take the needs of everyone into account. You just felt an odd warmth spread through your body as you began to read the letter.

'I thought I'd leave this note for you to find. It's kinda lame and old fashioned, but you don't have my cell number, do you? Well...we might have to fix that after today! Then again, I probably won't answer it right now, since I'm busy getting things ready for our little outing. Anyway, knowing your impeccable sense of time, I bet you're here quite earlier than you needed to be. That's fine; I adore that quality of yours, the way you're so dutiful and focused when things need to get done. Just be careful you don't turn into Karasuma, you know?'

You feel your face flush as you read the words on the paper, your heart starting to beat rapidly in your chest. As you neared that particular line however, you let out a small chuckle of mirth. Poor Karasuma; he just couldn't catch a break, could he? Still, you started reading again, hoping to get to the point of the missive.

'Where was I? Right! Just sit tight and relax; I know you get nervous when things don't go exactly according to plan. Flying around the world isn't an easy feat; even for me! I promise I'll be back before dark, at least. Wait for me.

Koro Sensei'

You feel your face flush again, an emotion you don't quite understand overwhelming you as you feel your chest ache. It was nearly enough to make tears start at the corner of your eyes, but you blinked them back, not wanting to mess up all the work you had tried to put in with your makeup.

It's not like you were wearing eyeliner or eyeshadow, those particular products very irritable to your eyes and making it very hard to see, but you didn't want to look too awful for him. Feeling self-conscious for a moment, you stare down at your blouse, your hands trailing down the fabric to one of the buttons at the base of your collarbones. You normally wore your shirts with the buttons done all the way up to your neck, but you wanted to try and be a little adventurous for today. You feel your face heat up as you undo one of the buttons, slightly exposing your collarbone and the dip between your chest. Barely anything was showing, maybe a small patch of skin if that, since you were quite shy about doing anything like this but you wanted to tease him just a bit.

The way his face turned pink, eyes wavering and breath hitching when he became flustered was adorable. You had seen Irina illicit that reaction from him when she first introduced herself to the class, and it had made something inside you start to squirm. Were you really jealous? How pathetic...You hear the voices say, making you narrow your brows in frustration as you start to think. Then again, it's possible he had a similar reaction with you, you were probably too oblivious to notice.

"There we go. Just enough, I think...Knowing him, he'd notice it pretty easily. I hope…"

You mutter to yourself, shrugging slightly as you set your school bag on the table. You just sit in your chair, taking out your phone and playing with some apps to pass the time. After a while, you check the time on your phone to see that at least twenty minutes have passed, no sign of Koro Sensei's imminent arrival making you slightly nervous. Did you get the time wrong? It's possible, you think, that it could have slipped your mind. Wait...Dread begins to settle in your stomach, feeling like you had been drenched with cold water. What if you were actually late? Did you accidentally stand him up? Kept him waiting here for hours, only to have him leave, hopes dashed? But what hope would he even have? You hear in your head, a sharp pain spreading through your chest.

You just try to ignore the nagging feelings tearing at your heartstrings, sitting up from your chair and grabbing your bag, digging through it until you find your earpieces and a small notebook. You plug them into your phone, figuring you still have a while until Koro Sensei actually shows up. Besides, maybe listening to some music would calm your frazzled nerves. You just focus on taking out a small pencil, flipping to an empty page in your sketchbook and starting to draw a medium sized circle...

"Hmm...That's no good…" You mutter, tapping your pencil against the pad of paper in front of you, eyes narrowing at the drawing as you feel the heat of frustration stir in your gut. It wasn't special or amazing, just a quick sketch of Koro Sensei that took you around ten minutes, simply shaded with a number two pencil.

"I think it's looks fine." You hear a familiar voice say from somewhere behind you, causing a jolt of surprise to shoot through your body. You couldn't help it; even though you understood he was going to arrive sometime, you were still startled. Part of you was just glad that he had come at all.

"Aaah!" A loud shriek erupts out of your mouth then, the remaining earbud falling out of your ear and notebook dropping to the floor as you twitch in surprise. You just turn your head towards the source of the sound, honestly not surprised to see him right there, a similar look of shock on his round face. You noticed that his gaze was focused on the middle of your neck, at the exposed skin there, your collarbones peeking out slightly from your blouse folds. You try your best to ignore his probing gaze, not wanting to give away your advantage.

"Dammit, I almost had a heart attack! Though...it was kind of my fault, I guess."

"Don't be silly!" You hear him half-protest, though you can catch the light heartedness in his tone. It took you a moment to notice the plastic bags on the table, your nose picking up the scents of various foodstuffs easily enough. He really goes above and beyond, doesn't he?

"I did announce my presence earlier, but you didn't seem to hear me, so wrapped up in your art as you were."

You feel your face flush then, shame making you tilt your head downward slightly. It was then you noticed that your sketchbook was gone, a pang of fear spreading through you as you realized what that meant. Koro Sensei had taken the small pad of paper, his eyes examining it with a scrutiny you only saw when he was grading the class's papers. This only made you more self-conscious; able to feel your heart beating rapidly against your chest. Though, the more you watched him study the poor attempt at art you made, you more you thought you imagined his grin becoming just a fraction wider, eyes narrowing the way they did when he was content with something.

"It's not any good, you know? I—"

You start to blurt out, starting to get out of the chair you were sitting in to see if you could possibly get closer to him. Not for any nefarious reasons, mind, but to see if you could maybe snatch the drawing out of his tentacled grasp. You felt your hand start to twitch, fingers wiggling as you shot your hand upwards towards the much taller teacher. It was no use of course; even without the great difference in height between the two of you, your hand barely brushing against his side, the cunning teacher clearly knew what he was doing, green stripes painting his face as the appendage that held the sketch pad moving closer towards him.

"Really? I think it's quite good!"

"Give it back!"

Your voice is strained as you hear yourself shout, nearly using your main hand to grip at his cloak. You stop yourself though, understanding that would be rude, yet that doesn't prevent you from sliding in front of his large form, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Koro Sensei only regards you with a warm expression, grin widening as you feel his eyes pierce through you. You watch his face change color then, a light pink to match your own reddening face.

"Hm? Now why would I do that? I was thinking of keeping it, to be honest."

"That? It isn't worth keeping...I could probably do much better! It's just a dumb sketch I did in five minutes!"

"You still took the time and effort to draw it; why get rid of it?"

It's embarrassing me for some reason. You think, not really sure what to say that wouldn't implicate you any further. You didn't want him using this as leverage of some sort; the man was a bit of a tease. Yet you feel your mouth start to move before your brain can process what it is saying.

"It doesn't look nearly as good as the genuine thing, though—You're so beau—"

It takes a few moments before the gravity of what you had just said sinks in, causing you to let out a small noise of discomfort. Idiot. Idiot. You can at least tell he is similarly embarrassed, his head turning to the side slightly, eyes wavering away from yours. Oh, it was worth it to see him get so flustered like this. You enjoyed breaking his usually carefree and cheery attitude, able to see bits and pieces of what laid beneath.

"...Y-you really think that?"

"...W-well, Maybe 'beautiful' isn't the right word. I-I don't know!"

You try to end the conversation there, not wanting to give him any more ground, and feeling flustered yourself despite attempting to remain calm. You just do your best to gesture to the table, quickly sitting down and nearly staring a hole into the papers below you, heat spreading through your body in an odd fashion. After a few moments, you hear another chair slide next to yours—a little too close you think. Definitely closer than it needed to be to simply grade papers and share foodstuffs. You didn't mind too badly, your heart beating in your chest every time you felt his hands 'accidentally' brush against yours, even going out of your way sometimes to make sure they did. It was as if an electric shock had pulsed through you, ruining your concentration and making you shake slightly as your imagination started working. All too soon, you had both settled down somewhat, though you could feel the odd tension in the room, making you slightly uncomfortable and nervous.

You just did your best to focus on the work in front of you, papers piled high atop the staff room table, not that you were ignoring him or anything. It was just difficult for you to think of topics that you hoped he would find interesting. Besides, he himself was quite distracting as well; you could feel him glance your way every so often, making your breath catch in your throat and heart pound against your chest. Conversations did happen between the two of you, small interruptions in silence here and there. ('Are you going to eat those?' 'Not really...Do you want them?' 'Well, they'll go to waste otherwise…') Yet it was mostly regarding the papers being passed between you, occasionally broken by one of you asking for help or clarification on certain things. ('Ah, you should check that sentence again; I believe you misread that kanji.' 'Huh, I guess I did. Thank you.' 'No trouble at all.') Though, the so called date was slightly more quiet than you have liked; probably no doubt your own fault.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, you try to gather up the nerves to have a real conversation, actually stopping in your detailed work to stare at your...date. It felt weird using that word to describe him, seeing as you usually thought of him as a fellow teacher or friend. If Koro Sensei had noticed, he certainly wasn't rude enough to show it, even going so far to look at you with an expectantly eager smile, eyes glinting warmly as they focused on yours. Which, in turn only set you more on edge, tongue drying up in your throat as you attempted to speak.

"Err...Uhm...Y-you...You certainly have other hobbies than teaching, yes?" You mentally yell at yourself, hearing yourself slip back into that odd, formal tongue. You couldn't help it. He seemed to brighten up at your question, appendages starting to wiggle about as his body turned your way, smile on his face.

"Of course; I'm quite glad you asked, really. However, [Name]-san, I was also wondering what you did in your free time, since you were brave enough to pose the question."

"S-san!?" You just blanch at the weird honorific, so used to hearing him call you Sensei that you weren't too sure how to respond. He only nodded, his tone as light and jovial as ever while he spoke.

"Well, we are at the school building but we certainly aren't on duty as teachers right now, are we? We're just two people, trying to get to know each other. Calling you 'Sensei' at this moment would feel a tad too stiff for my liking. Unless...maybe you'd prefer 'chan' instead?"

I can't deny that...Smooth bastard. You could see him start to blush slightly, eyes narrowing as they did when he was...excited, to say the least. You only offered a sly grin yourself, doing your best to hold back your giggles, though a few did slip out. You understood what he was trying to do, choosing to respond in kind. If he wanted to play that game, you wanted to show him you could return the favor twofold!

"Hehehehe...Why don't we leave it at 'san' for now?"

You say, narrowing your eyes as an idea came to mind. You just get out of your seat, emboldened by a sudden burst of courage you didn't know you possessed, grabbing onto the handles of his chair with an intensity that surprised the both of you. Fear and anxiety combine to start to latch against your gut, voices starting to clamor in your head that it was a stupid idea; foolish to even think of. You'll look like a complete dork. He'll think you're some kind of...freaky pervert! A weirdo, sexual deviant! You just try your hardest to fight against the self-doubt, attempting to peer down at his sitting form. Which, considering your vast difference in height, and the fact that the chair did little to improve this, made the action more challenging than you anticipated.

"We should save that kind of thing for something more...intimate than this, don't you think, Koro Sensei…?"

You whisper, doing your best to try and deepen your voice as you say his name, feeling the edges of your mouth brush against his face as you spoke. You can hear him inhale sharply, nervous beads of sweat starting to form on his now pink colored face, eyes wavering unsettlingly on the dip in your shirt. Almost immediately, you rush back to your seat, enjoying the sight of him being utterly baffled, composure utterly gone as he just sputters out sentence fragments. It's not as if you were wholly unaffected, you did feel an unfamiliar heat start to spread through your body, but seeing him acting so adorably awkward balanced out the embarrassment. Finally, he seems to recover, color shifting back to normal as he hoists himself up in his chair. He seems composed and collected as he dutifully attempts to get his outfit in order but you can see it, an odd intensity smoldering behind his calm demeanor.

You just answer him as simply as you can, trying to not trip over your words as you list off a small number of things you did in your free time. It wasn't anything really adventurous or amazing, at least you figured so, but the way he attentively listened to you blather on made you feel slightly better at having tried to make conversation. Halting and odd though it was.

"So...since you know I don't get out much...Do you have any favorite hang out spots you could recommend? Any that I could physically travel to, of course." You ask, trying to poke fun at yourself to lighten your nerves while seeming sociable. His expression seemingly shifts at your words, the edges of his mouth turning down in a frown of sorts, before becoming a straight line.

"[Name]-San, before I answer that, can I ask you something?"

You nod, confused and slightly curious as to what he wanted to know.

"Why do you…put yourself down like that? You always seem to be making jokes, often at your own expense…"

"Ahaha, that? Well, I'm just being funny really. If you can't laugh at yourself, what gives you the right to make fun of others? I guess that's my mindset."

You try to deflect the question, not really wanting to answer just yet. He didn't seem to like that, going by the way his eyes narrowed, and you thought you could see a hint of sadness in them that wasn't there before. That made you feel uncomfortable, a slight pain centering your chest. You just try to listen attentively as he described his own hobbies, slightly glad that the two of you had at least a couple things in common.

"I see. As for myself, I often do a number of things on my days off..."

Most of the date, if you could even call it that, happened in a similar fashion. Soon, the blue sky turned red as the sun dipped over the mountain then finally darkening with the blackness of the night as it disappeared completely. You didn't mind; you were glad to be able to spend time with him. It seemed he had similar thoughts, considering he hadn't hinted about ending this...whatever it was yet. You just go to one of the still available plates of food, mostly desserts by now, hoping that shoving something in your mouth will keep you from saying something stupid, like you had been this entire time.

You move to turn your head around, wanting to reach for one of the desserts, when you feel a sudden pain in your neck, freezing you in place with a small gasp. It was like an ache, but more poignant, running down your neck and shoulders. Swiveling your head from side to side only seemed to make it worse, the sound of bone on bone making you flinch slightly.

"Ah, it's nothing, really. My neck just seems a tad stiff, is all." You hear yourself say, slipping back into your formal speech patterns. You didn't want to bother him with this, so you tried to play it off as nothing. Koro Sensei was able to see right through your lie however, only staring at you with a look that made you feel slightly foolish and self-conscious.

"If you'd like, [Name]-san...I could...give you a small massage; n-nothing huge really. You just seem t-tense, is all…"

"I mean...if you are proposing such a thing…" You hesitantly mutter, feeling your face heat up. Most of the work had been finished by now, as was the food he had kindly brought, so the two of you weren't too concerned about being unproductive. Not to say that you had been working most of the date, but...your heart lept slightly at the thought of spending quality time with him. Alone. You involuntarily stiffen up as you feel his body shuffle closer to you, a small squeal erupting out of your mouth as his hands gently touch your shoulders.

"[Name]-Sensei, if you'd rather not, I understand completely. I only suggested it because you seemed to be in pain."

"O-oh, I'm fine. You don't have to t-trouble—"

You hear him let out a frustrated sigh, hands tightening their grip around your shoulders and beginnings of your neck. The start of his sentence only comes out as an irritated hiss, and you can feel his body tremble against the back of the chair.

"Stop saying that! I asked because I wanted to help. You are not trouble, or annoying, or bothersome, or any other ridiculous thing you see yourself as!"

His tone took a hard edge there, making your heart beat slightly against your rib cage. You knew he was right, at least somewhat, but part of you did not relent in your internal self-hatred. You only tilted your head upwards to stare at him, eyes trying so hard to read his mood.

"I would just like to help. Trust me, if I had any...notions of doing something untoward, I would have definitely been less subtle in my wording. And if you wish to...accelerate this, please let me know."

"Hmmm…Fine then. Go ahead with the massage, if you feel it's necessary. And only the massage for now; maybe sometime later we could...y'know..."

He seemed to glow a bit then, grin stretching further across his face, eyes narrowing with a slightly glossed over look. You hear a strange, wet sound from behind you, though you barely had any time to turn around before he began.

"Well then! Time to show you the magnificent power of my tentacles!"

You let out a squeal of surprise as you felt his now lubricated tentacles run over your shoulders, kneading deep into the muscles. They were slightly more wet and slicker than normal, but that didn't bother you as you felt them trace a path across your collarbones to your neck. Which was slightly surprising to you; you had never been one for putting oils and lotions on your skin, not liking the odd coldness they would leave you with. Mostly, you just hated not being able to do things; often having trouble gripping things afterwards. But this...was quite different. It felt nice. Good, even. Was it because he was still quite warm, even with the slime coating his appendages? Or was it because of the care he took when touching you, like you were going to break with a single touch? It set your nerves on fire; and you had to stop yourself lest you start to make any odd noises.

"Hnng! Maybe I...should pay you...to do this…" You attempt to joke, words hard to come by thanks to his delicate ministrations. You feel him shudder slightly then, a small chortle escaping his mouth.

"Well, my services don't come cheap! For you, though, I think I can offer a discount."

You laugh despite yourself, giggles escaping your throat as your shoulders tremble. You can feel his pace slow somewhat, appendages gently treading across your shoulders. It seemed as if he was taking extra care to reach every spot, loosening the knots in your body and relieving the pressure of many days and nights leaned over desk work. Despite his odd taunts, Koro Sensei really was being quite the gentleman, never going any further than your clavicle, suckers gently kneading against your skin.

"I guess I'll have to—"

You stop speaking, before you continue and say something that might sound odd. Well, every conversation you've had with him today is quite odd, you think. Certainly not what the two of you would usually talk about, if it was a regular school day. It was kind of...nice? Comforting? You weren't sure.

"Ah, I think I'm alright now, thank you. You can stop."

"Really?"

"Yes. You're not my b—" You clear your throat then, attempting to hide the slip with a pathetic sounding cough. Of course, Koro Sensei wasn't going to let that go, a playful sneer on his face as he bent forward, face nearly nuzzling against your ear.

"Ah, you were about to say 'boyfriend', weren't you!?"

"N-no, I was not!" You sputter, shaking your head vigorously in an attempt to deny his words. Honestly you weren't too sure; part of you had thought the word butler would have fit there as well, considering everything he had done for you today. You felt kind of guilty about it; you'd have to do something to repay him if something like this happened again. If he even wanted something like this to happen again. Did you? You weren't really sure...

"Besides, I don't want that kind of relationship...How do I put it? Like…I'd like to reciprocate somehow, but you…hmmm...Don't exactly seem massagable…?"

You say, not really liking the odd way that came out. It felt more like an accusation than a suggestion. You felt one of his suckers reach around to rub against your cheek then, making you extremely self-conscious. It was soft and slightly sticky, kind of like that dough used in Japanese sweets, but more firm. You like the feeling of it; very much so, a soft hum erupting out of your throat despite your effort to keep calm. You hear him laugh again, a sound that makes your heart leap and something start to pool in your stomach. It was similar to anxiety, but not quite, as you were all too intimately acquainted ith those sensations.

"Is that so? Well then, if we were to do this again—which I wouldn't mind at all—perhaps then I can make a few harmless suggestions."

You just stare up at him, trying to figure out the general shape of his body. You really had no idea, seeing that his gigantic robe covered him completely, aside from his head and feet. Where would you even begin on such a venture, you had no idea, though you felt your face heat up as you imagined several scenarios. If his body was anything like his appendages...Well, you'd be in for an interesting time, to say the least. He seemed to freeze then, as the two of you heard an odd noise come from another part of the building. You couldn't really make it out, though it made a chill run up your spine. Koro Sensei however, was obviously able to determine the source and kind of noise it was, going by how he quickly turned his head towards the sound.

"How rude; I believe someone has come to interrupt our outing. Another assassin, going by the sound of things…I'll go take a look, then."

You hear him say, the warmth of his finger lingering on your cheek for a brief moment before you feel its absence. That made you sad, and quite irritated. Not with him, but with whatever idiot that thought now was a good time to try and go after him.

How did they know he would be here anyway? As far as you knew, Koro Sensei often took Sundays off like everyone else. He usually wasn't in the immediate vicinity, seeing as he could travel across the world in a matter of hours. You'd probably go sightseeing too if you had the ability; and weren't worried of getting into trouble. Karasuma, maybe? You think, wondering if the military man had a hand in this. He did know about your date after all; it's not like the two of you kept it a huge secret after the tentacled dork blurted it out that one day in this very room. Or was it possibly Irina, the blonde assassin still angry over some trivial thing? She had calmed down quite a bit from her usual brash self, but you could still feel her animosity every time you entered a room. Was she still upset over something you said or did? You didn't know; the only concern on your mind at the moment was the current assassination attempt happening nearby.

It had been at least five minutes now since he had left to go deal with whatever it was, apprehension building slightly in the pit of your stomach. You just turn your head toward the continuous noise, concerned since it sounded very loud and close to the staff room. He said to stay here, but...I can't help it. I'm worried...You mentally argue with yourself, slowly getting up from your seat and opening the door. You just follow the source of the sound, running after where you saw him last go towards. The cool night breeze caresses your face as you dash out into the darkness, cursing your stupidity for not bringing any accessibility equipment with you. You were in such a rush you had forgotten it, leaving it at the bottom of your purse.

You run towards the side of the school building, relieved as you notice two very distinct shadows, one much bigger and taller than the other.

"Well, that was over quicker than I expected. Then again, I'm not too sure what I expected…"

You mutter, walking over to the pair of them, Koro Sensei barely shifting his head your way to look at you, a slight frown on his face. The other shape, a regular human man, was tied up with rope, his face neutral as he stared your way. You paid little attention to him though, trying to calm the rapid beating of your heart now that the supposed danger was over. You were just glad he hadn't been hurt...

"I told you I could handle this. Were you seriously that concerned about me?"

You don't really know how to respond, feeling your cheeks heat up as your gaze shifts to avoid meeting his. For some reason, the man found this to be the perfect time to speak out then, his words almost mocking despite the predicament he found himself in.

"Ha, as if anyone would care about a monster like you!"

You feel your hand sting then, the surface of your palm tingling as air brushes against it. The man only gives you a shocked look, his grim expression darkening as he regards you once more. You don't focus on him, too concerned with the perplexing stare the tall teacher was giving you.

"Dammit, that hurt! What's with you, lady!? I'm only stating the truth! That...that thing is a monster; look at it! It's going to destroy the Earth if we don't stop it! What don't you get!?"

"Yeah, well…Fuck you!" You shout back, slightly surprised at the vitriol you threw the assassin's way. He opened his mouth to speak again but you didn't give him a chance, once again speaking much louder than normal. You honestly didn't believe much of what the man spouted, even if he was hired by the government; he probably wasn't informed about anything else aside from the very basics.

"You look like a bigger monster to me, ya jackass. Interrupting two people on their first date; what a guy you are...Now get the hell out of here before I actually get mad!"

You watch as his face turns to one of shock, stunned silence spreading through the area for a moment. You felt the taller teacher's form shift slightly as he moved closer to you, and you practically hear the mocking tone of his voice as he leans forward.

"He's still tied up, [Name]-san."

"Ah, right…"

You mutter, feeling your cheeks heat up again, your arms folding over one another as you turned your head away from him. You just listen as the man promises Koro Sensei that his attempt on said teacher's was over; for today, at least. Well, the man had the common sense to know when he had lost, you thought, watching as he was easily untied and began to walk down the trail of his own volition, any sense of bloodlust or menace that had been emanating from his person finishing completely.

Well, considering the mood had been horribly dampened and interrupted thanks to that assassin's intrusion, you figured it would maybe be best if said date ended now. There was a heavy weight in your gut, one that wasn't from the food you knew, as you headed for the small building, the cold breeze making you slightly chillier than usual. You only turn to make sure Koro Sensei is paying attention to you, gesturing to him to go inside.

You thought you saw his mouth move, but just ignored it as a trick of the darkness, yet the words you had managed to catch made you wonder if something was up with him. His expression looked somewhat gloomy as he moved into step behind you, a light blue tinge painting his features.

"...monster, huh?"

You nearly stop in place at hearing his desolate tone, feeling the warmth of his body as he nearly became close enough to bump into you.

"What do you mean? Don't lie to me; I heard you."

"Ah, did you now? Well, that's to be expected, seeing as your hearing level is above the average humans. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at that man's remark, really; my appearance is quite off putting to most people…"

"Oh, enough, you! 'Off putting' my ass! You're positively adorable—handsome, really! That idiot had no idea what he was talking about!"

You hear yourself blurt out, surprising the two of you as he turned bright pink. Ah, I said it out loud…

"Handsome, ehh? I'm glad you think so, [Name]-san, but that wasn't what I meant. Never mind me; I'm only muttering to myself. Pay it no mind, please."

You could see something like pity hiding behind that otherwise joyful stare, which confused you. Certainly there was probably more to this artificial octopus than meets the eye; they didn't just appear out of thin air, after all! But...what secrets was he hiding? You were slightly curious, and yet didn't want to press the issue any; lest you make him frustrated with you.

But...you wanted to know more about him. Wanted to understand him, and this secret part of himself that only you had seen. What was hiding behind that usually cheerful exterior? It seemed like he was harboring some deep issues, using his cheery personality as a front of sorts. You didn't want to pry, as you had your own issues you didn't want to bother anyone with, yet you were genuinely concerned for the man. Still, you knew it wasn't going to happen anytime soon; Koro Sensei often dodged any questions about himself other than those he found relevant to the assassination, and even then he was quite tight lipped. Even Karasuma had been hard pressed to get answers from him, so what hope did you have? Still, you wanted to try as best you could.

"I can't just ignore it, though…"

You say, your steps slowing slightly as you both came closer to the staff room, hand stopping as it curled around the doorknob. You just continue to stand there, unmoving, as you did your best to turn his way and look him straight in the eyes.

"...Maybe it's because I have a similar problem...Still, seeing you so...down in the dumps makes me concerned. I get that you can't be happy go lucky all the time; trust me, I know that feeling! Yet...you've been a little out of it since that guy, quite pathetically, tried to trash talk you. It's not like you to get so worked up over something like that...So I'm thinking it might have triggered something else, maybe, some other thing you don't want to talk about. And that's fine; that's completely fine! I don't expect you to open up to me right away, or at all really...Where was I going with this? Ah, basically, I'm not the best listener and I'm not too smart either, but if you need someone to talk to...I hope I can try? Somehow? Ah, n-never mind…"

You hear yourself say, the latter half of what you had tried to make an empowering speech sound like pointless rambling to your ears as you quickly turn your head away from him in an embarrassing pout. I didn't help much there, huh? Sounded like an idiot...You feel your free hand cover your face, an exasperated sigh erupting out of your mouth. You had wanted to sound supportive and helpful, but you once again made the problem about yourself, not the person you wanted to help. Typical. You just feel something soft and comforting wrap around your wrist then, the curved bulges that were his hand against your arm making you blush slightly. They had an odd texture, slightly hard and more solidly made, unlike the rest of his appendages which were soft and smooth. It simply tugs your hand away from your face, forcing you to look into his brightly gleaming eyes.

"Oh, I understand your intent. I really knew you were a kind person when I first saw you; you're just shy, aren't you!? It was probably difficult for you to put your feelings into words...But you managed to convey them despite that! Awww, you don't know how that makes me feel, [Name]-san!"

"N-no, I'm not that kind—"

You automatically protest, your usual approach to receiving praise or compliments. The taller teacher only sighs at your response, shaking his round head slightly as you feel his grip on your wrist tighten.

"Stop that. Why do you constantly devalue yourself? You do care for others, in your own way! Just because you aren't as open about it doesn't make it any less valid. The same goes for all of your other feelings as well! Stop telling yourself you're only doing things to make yourself 'feel better' or that you're 'selfish', because you're not! If you truly were selfish, as you think you claim to be, then your eyes wouldn't shine with that adorable sparkle they do when you're teaching, or helping the students or even trying to cheer me up!"

Koro Sensei nearly shouts, his voice once again losing its jovial tone as it became a harsh rumble. He hadn't changed colors, still his usual yellow, but you could tell you made him slightly angry. You just open your mouth to try and speak, but find that no words come out, your brain unable to form a proper sentence. The tug on your wrist is forceful, your hand holding the doorknob losing its purchase as your feet drag against the wooden floor, not through any resistance of your own. You can feel his other appendages start to wrap around your waist and lower back then, pulling you flush against him. You were slightly nervous—ok, maybe more than slightly—about being this close to him, not for anything he might do, but for your own self-restraint.

You only knew that you enjoyed feeling him against you, tentacles and all, his warmth making you feel more comfortable. Then again, you just liked being near him in general. For the past month and a quarter, he had been a source of stability, in his own odd, cheerful, childish way, for you, hard as it was to believe. You felt slightly guilty upon realizing that; you wanted to find a way to repay that somehow, some way...But not to the extent that either of you become a liability to each other, a sort of weakness, you thought.

"...Why? Why me?"

You ask, your words slightly muffled as you say them into his robe. He shifts against you, tentacles maneuvering you so that he can look at you while still keeping you close, cheeks stained pink as his head tilted downward towards your face.

"...Don't. Didn't I just say to stop doing that?"

"Sorry...That might take me awhile. I can't help it; self-loathing isn't that easy to unlearn."

"Well, like I said before, I guess I'll just have to teach you how to have more confidence in yourself, won't I?"

You feel a smile break across your face, remembering he said something similar during the first month of his tenure here. It was around the time of the grenade incident; you figured he had been joking back then, to cheer you up, but maybe he was serious?

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Sensei. Did you forget which one of us is actually the head teacher here? I'm the one on the books, as far as authority goes."

You watch him frown then, a small pout coming over his features which you found adorable.

"Ohohoho, again with that odd burst of confide—"

He starts to joke, before you quickly seize the opportunity and move your head closer to his, pressing your lips to his mouth and stopping him from finishing his sentence. Like his skin, the area around his mouth was smooth and sticky, with no real 'lips' to speak of like humans had. It was more like skin that went over his mouth, covering his large grin whenever he wasn't smiling. He had frowned before, his mouth often squishing into a circular pout, so you figured he was kissable. It just took you awhile to work up the courage. You felt now was right, considering all that had happened today.

You just begin to edge your lips against his skin, doing your best as you wrapped your arms around his much larger body. Which was trembling with excitement, going by what you could feel from the appendages wrapped around your body, pulling you closer to him as your feet started to leave the ground. Maybe he really did want this as much as you did? No, you're just imagining things, you idiot. You could feel an intense longing in the back of your throat, an aching need that spread through your mouth, tongue pressing up against the roof of your mouth in an effort to control your selfish desire. I shouldn't...You attempt to reason with yourself, a small gasp escaping your mouth despite your attempt to appear calm. You didn't want to seem like a needy, hopeless wreck in front of him. And this just from a simple kiss! You were slightly terrified of the reactions you'd make if you had gone ahead with your plan, trying to push the need out of your mind, pulling away from his mouth.

You only try to keep your breaths steady, though they came in heavy gasps despite your best efforts. Thankfully, Koro Sensei seemed to be similarly winded, though from exertion or shock you couldn't tell. From what you see of his face, the two of you were still gazing intently at each other, he was still quite embarrassed and flustered pink color only deepening to a darker hue. It took a few seconds before either of you gained the courage, or breath, to speak.

"You sneaky—I was hoping to get the first kiss! No fair!"

He pouts childishly, making you let out a small chuckle. Was that what he was worried over? Honestly, it wasn't out of character for him, seeing as he was somewhat competitive when it came to certain things.

"Was there a problem with the way I acted?"

You ask, wanting to know if you offended him in any way. God, you hope not. He shakes his head profusely, nearly stuttering out his next words immediately.

"N-no, not at a-all! W-well, in most of the...things I've seen or read, it's usually the man who starts things."

"Same here. Doesn't mean I have to be passive all the time, however!"

You answer, a sly grin on your blushing face. He just winks at you, nodding at your words as if he agreed.

"I suppose not; yet that was quite surprising! I-in a good way though! If...if we ever get the chance to do this again, rest assured I'm getting payback, huhuhu!"

"I'd love to see you try...I think we've reached a good stopping point for tonight, however."

You say, the other teacher slowly nodding as you feel his grip on you lessen, appendages gently setting you back on the floor. It only took you a few moments to compose yourself, though you knew he could feel your heart beating against your chest like a drum. You hoped his was doing the same; you assumed he had a heart at least. All too soon, the pair of you had easily cleaned up the staff room, leaving it immaculate in preparation for the week ahead. It was with a heaviness in your chest that you walked with Koro Sensei to the mountain's edge. You had declined his offer to have him escort you down the city streets to your apartment, not wanting to inconvenience him any further, feeling guilty enough as it was for all he did for you today. His vibrant color was somewhat dimmed, maybe even a tad blue, as he seemed to be feeling the same things you did, his odd steps deliberately slow as to make the trip last longer. You couldn't blame him; understanding that your relationship would change once you saw him again tomorrow. You would be co-workers, professionals, assassin—though you hardly considered yourself as such—and target. You didn't know when and if you could spend time like this with him again. You hoped it could be soon, and prayed he felt the same.

"Good night, Koro Sensei."

"Good night, [Name]-san. Please do be careful on your way home; it has gotten quite late. I still leave my offer—"

You shake your head, not wanting to trouble him any further. He had already done so much for you today. You just offer him a quick peck on the cheek, letting your lips linger there for a few moments longer than usual before you pull away, heading down the road into the dense city lights, blush easily visible in the darkness.

"See you tomorrow, you adorable octopus."


	16. Time For Discussions

"Ah, good morning."

You say, doing your best to keep your voice as even as possible. Which was considerably difficult, seeing as the source of your anxiety had made no attempt to be subtle about the way he greeted you. Still, you couldn't deny the shiver that went up your spine as you heard him call your name in that singsong voice of his, heart starting to beat a tad faster as you watched him slide next to you, a playful grin on his face.

"[Name]-Sensei, good morning! You look as stunning as ever!"

You don't know how to respond to his compliment, stomach twisting into knots as you saw the other two humans in the room stare at you almost accusingly. Well, Irina was, at least, her mouth turned up in a devilish smile that meant you were in for it later. You weren't too sure what expression Karasuma was making, hiding behind his laptop as he often was.

"I suppose this means that your date went well?" You hear Karasuma, surprisingly of all people, ask, his stare somewhat analyzing as he glanced at the pair of you. You just managed to nod slightly, feeling a familiar heat begin to creep up the back of your neck. You hated yourself in that moment for being so easy to read, hating that you wore your emotions on your sleeve most of the time. That was only a weakness, you thought, especially considering the kinds of people that might use it against you.

Though, you weren't worried for yourself so much as for the person—or octopus—they would be baiting. Said teacher was mainly focused on you at the moment, stare pensive as he attempted to read the odd expression on your face. A smirk appears on the corner of your lips as a sort of response; a way for you to deflect the worried look he gave and use it as ammo against him of sorts. You did love seeing him flustered, after all. And to get those two nosy humans off of your back; they didn't need to know what you did on your own time.

"What's wrong?"

You say, trying to sound slightly coy in order to occupy his attention further, even going so far as to turn your head towards his. That didn't work quite as you expected however, thanks to your small stature, and you were only able to get a faceful of his cloak in the process, your eyes peering at him through your messed up bangs. You can feel the oddly smooth skin underneath the cloth slightly stiffen in response, making you embarrassed for no real reason aside from shame that your mere touch sent him on edge like this.

Though, you had to admit, that only made your heart beat faster, despite your attempt to hide your feelings. You just linger there for a moment, your nose drawn to the scent of him, finding it oddly enjoyable. He smelled of a different cologne from yesterday, though you could still detect the hint of ink and paper beneath that, a slightly comforting scent. You liked that familiar smell; liked that he was the source of it. You wanted to hold him, or be held by him, for some reason you didn't fully understand. Maybe it would help quiet the rapid beats of your heart, or make your hands stop twitching against your sides, you didn't know.

"I think we can say it most definitely did."

You hear Irina comment, making him squeal in shock as you feel his body pull away from yours with a start.

"W-what are you suggesting, Irina-Sensei!?"

He manages to ask, and you can see his face start to flush, cheeks turning a light pink as his eyes looked towards you. You just let out an odd laugh, eyes beginning to moisten with tears from the ridiculousness of the situation. They really were reading too much into it.

"Hahaha! Y-you guys...N-noth—nothing happened. It was a-an ordinary evening for us. Well, aside from the assassination attempt—though, I guess that was actually normal, I suppose…"

You attempt to say through laughter, wiping your eyes with your hands. After taking a breath to calm yourself and your nerves, you just do your best to keep your gaze neutral as you stare at the two teachers. The mention of the assassination attempt however, makes something else spring to your chest; a hot, festering anger that made you narrow your eyes at the military officer.

"Now that I think about it...was that the government's doing, Karasuma-San?"

You ask plainly, feeling the atmosphere in the room change then, no longer as cheerful as it was before. The man only focuses his gaze on you, a sigh escaping his lips as your eyes meet.

"I would assume so. You do understand, don't you, that if they wish to send assassins, I have no control over it any more than the rest of you. I was put here simply to act as the class's physical education teacher, and report any new findings about the octopus to my superiors."

He was right, of course. You knew he was part of the operation to kill the tentacled teacher, just as the class was supposed to be another long term assassination plan. You understood that Koro Sensei was dangerous, given his various abilities and the fact that he would destroy the Earth in a year's time. Yet, from what you had seen of the unconventional teacher, he was quite harmless; except when he was mad. Then he was quite frightening; although you could really say that of any person when they became angry. You didn't think he would have done anything too dangerous though. If he wanted to hurt any one of you, he certainly had many chances to, your mind flashing back to the grenade incident, and you doubted any of you could stop him. Still, despite what your brain was telling you, your heart was saying something different entirely.

All the small moments you'd spent with him over the past two months are rushing through your mind. Some moments stuck out more than others, such as the first time the two of you had met in the main classroom, or when you had first offered to help him with making test questions once you saw him doing it alone outside. Still, the most poignant thing you remembered was his enthusiastic attitude while you watched him teach, and that twinkle in his beady eyes whenever he looked at you. It made your heart soar, seeing him so buoyant and cheerful all the time, or at least most of the time. You

"...Why are you so concerned about a simple assassination attempt? You should be cheering them on, shouldn't you?"

"The bastard interrupted our date! If we do something like that again, I'd rather not be interr—…What?" You answer, raising an eyebrow when you see their grins widen as you stop talking. You feel your stomach twist again, the feeling only accentuating as you watch Koro Sensei's round face show a smug smirk.

"So...You're not against the idea of going on another date?"

The tone of his voice was almost hopeful as he spoke, leaning over you once again and making you slightly uncomfortable at the lack of physical distance between the two of you.

"No, n-not really...Though, we did just have it yesterday; maybe it's better to space them out a bit? I dunno; absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say…"

You say, shrugging your shoulders as you feel your cheeks heat up slightly. You knew what you were proposing was a little dumb; you saw Koro Sensei every day, for many hours at a time. But, then again, hanging out with him during work hours and what you did yesterday were two different things. You liked having that private time with him, even if all the two of you really did was work. You certainly wouldn't mind spending time with him again, but you didn't want to seem needy or dependent on his company.

You can feel their stares on you then, making your throat dry and heart rate accelerate, your words tumbling out of your mouth faster than you could take them back.

"It's was just a friendly outing! It wasn't—I-I'm not—I don't have the capacity for feeling like those! I can't love anyone aside from myself; I'm too selfish to do otherwise! I—"

"Now why do you say that, [Name]-Sensei?"

His somewhat stern tone interrupts your embarrassing spiel, one of his hands resting gently against your shoulder. It was somewhat calming, having him that close by, despite the increased intensity of your heart pounding against your chest contradicting your claim.

"B-because it's true, o-of course! Now is not the time for this! It's about time for the kids to start showing up!"

You wiggle out of his grip, despite the mental protests against it, taking a few small breaths to keep yourself calm as you cross your arms over one another in a failed attempt to look angry. At that time you could also begin to hear the sounds of footsteps in the hallways, numerous ones, giving much more credibility to your bluff. Good. You weren't in the mood to explain your outburst, certainly not with two outsiders present. You could save it for another time when the two of you were alone.

"...Well, that was interesting. I have classes to attend to now, so if you don't mind me."

You quickly gather up your things, hoping to get into the main classroom before any of the early birds arrive. Well, it was more to stave off this unpleasant conversation than anything, and all four of you understood that, considering the gradual change in your dialect as the minutes dragged on...

It was a great relief when the end of class bell rang for you, your eyes glazing over the same choppily written sentence several times now. You weren't too focused, you knew that, so you were immensely glad when you heard the telltale sounds of class ending, kids chattering excitedly about after school plans and desks scratching against the wood flooring.

Those same kids had been the ones hammering you with questions during class, weirdly excited and eager to find out how your date had gone. You had attempted to dismiss their worries with a shrug and sly smile, saying that it wasn't any of their business, but they were quite relentless in their pursuit. You eventually divulged some small information, mostly in part due to the antics of Karma and Nakamura, the pair working in tandem.

"Hey, do you wanna go out?"

You were slightly surprised, shifting around in your chair to look at the owner of the voice clearly. Irina only offered you a small smile, one that you assumed was genuine as she moved closer to you, her small frame taking up your field of view. She was asking you out? Not that you really were in much of a mood for a drink right now, but maybe seeing Azusa and Hotaru would cheer you up a bit. Part of you was curious as to why she would solicit your company; you figured she didn't like you that much, but maybe that was your own insecurities talking. Or...She probably wanted to know how the date went. Ok...You guessed you could tell her; she wasn't the type to spill secrets, hopefully...

"Yeah, that sounds...nice. I'm not drinking though!"

"Great! Let's go, then!"

You let out a sharp yelp as you feel her tiny hand close against your wrist, her grip strength better than you thought. Well, she was an assassin; makes sense she'd be more physically fit than you. That was something you hoped to improve on; luckily Karasuma's classes had been helping some. Though your diet worked against you; you couldn't help it. Food was food, whether it was junk food or actual nutrition didn't matter. You just needed something to keep your yap shut and mind occupied, else you might make an even bigger idiot of yourself than you usually were. So it was with little reluctance that you let Irina practically drag you out of the room, you offering up quick strained goodbyes to the other two teachers...

"It's just...He can see the potential in everyone, and always strives to help them find that potential. Even for someone as burdensome and useless as myself; Sensei has helped me more than I can count…"

You say, the ache in your chest only spreading as you stare at the woman in front of you. You go against using his full name, not wanting to draw attention to yourself; though you figured you were doing a fine job of that already, seeing as that odd businessman was staring your way. He seemed intensely focused on you for some reason, and that only made you stare back at him harder. You feel your heart rate increase as your eyes meet, his odd tiny black orbs reminding you of someone in particular. No...I must be going crazy, right? Maybe I do have something wrong with me, to think he was here, of all places! Snap out of it! You just turn your head away from him, before any other crazy thoughts popped into your head. Irina's eyes are soft, as was the smile on her pale face, once again regarding her sitting next to you in the bar.

She really was quite pretty; much more than you would ever be, makeup or no. You admit you wondered why Koro Sensei hadn't dumped you for her, even though she was just an assassin doing her job and didn't really love him. She seemed to be more his type; thin, busty, beautiful...What could you even offer? Thoughts like these began to swim around in your head, dampening your mood until a word from the blonde next to you brought you back to your senses.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Sensei has…given me hope when I thought I had none left. Maybe it's part of his cheerful attitude, but I can't seem to get him out of my mind lately. He's supported me, even in small amounts, when I was troubled or feeling out of it. I...I just feel better when I'm around him and he makes me feel useful, like I matter...Is that odd? I dunno, man...Do I sound like a creeper or something? I don't mean to; I just can't word the feelings I have for him so easily..."

You take a break from your explanation, being careful as you blow off the steam covered, breading filled sphere. You just pop the fried orb into your mouth, wanting to get some more time to put your thoughts together.

"L-love...Huh. Interesting; so you're saying I might be in love with him...I'm not sure. I've never really fallen in love before, so I don't know."

"You've never fallen in love before?"

"No, not really...I mean maybe I've had celebrity crushes but those are completely different. He...He is the first person I've felt something like this for. I know, it's odd—"

"It's not weird at all! Well, it is him we're talking about here. He's not exactly normal... but if you feel it's what will make you happy, then I say go for it!"

"But...is it what he wants? He's said as much, that he wants to try getting into a relationship with me, but I just worry he said it for my sake or—"

You nearly jump out of your seat as Irina's hand slams against the counter, making a hard, sharp banging noise. Several other people cast their gazes towards the two of you, making you feel extremely self-conscious. You only pay attention to the slightly angry blonde in front of you, her eyes narrowed as she huffs angrily in your direction.

"What is with you!? I don't think I've met anyone so...so...ridiculously hard on themselves than you before! Why can't you accept that he might actually like you for who you are!?"

"...I…"

You just shrug your shoulders, no answer coming to mind. You couldn't really find the energy to respond, your body feeling quite heavy all of a sudden. It wasn't from the food, as you hadn't ate too much of the steamy goodness on your plate, and you hadn't drunk anything alcoholic tonight either.

"Well, I'm not sure if I love him or possibly only feel lust for him. If it's actually the latter, I'd feel bad tricking him like that..."

"Sex and love are two different things, you know. I'm quite knowledgeable about the former and…Trust me, I can tell when someone is motivated by lust." Irina cut off, averting her eyes from yours, her tone making you somewhat sad as you understood what she was implying. You felt tears start to form at the edges of your eyes then, pity for the poor woman's situation making your heart ache. She probably never had a normal childhood, having grown up as an assassin. Forced to cozy up and bed men she had no attraction to, all for the sake of her livelihood, and then later kill them in cold blood…How had she been able to survive in that kind of environment? You hear a small sob escape your throat, tears starting to fall down your cheeks despite your efforts to hold them back.

"W-why are you crying!?"

"W-well...Here I am, talking about a c-crush like a damn schoolgirl but you...You've never...been able to experience something even close to this. I'm being selfish...blabbering about l-love and shit while you're probably looking at me like 'That's nice, you naive idiot. You didn't have to grow up using your body to get up in the world!'"

You swivel around in your chair, not wanting to finish your odd rambling lest any of the other patrons catch on. You doubt they understood everything, but you didn't want to take that chance. You frown, feeling your fingers wiggle and fidget on your lap as you try to turn your head away. You already made a huge idiot of yourself, you ruined the great night out she had proposed. All because of your own self-loathing and hatred. Like anyone would be friends with you. Idiot. Look at yourself; a bawling, lovestruck fool who can't keep their stupid opinions to themselves. No one would want to hang out around your depressing ass, much less be romantically involved with you.

"Look, I'm glad you invited me, but I'm just getting in the way of your night. I'll just pay for my share and go, thanks…"

You don't even look at Irina, not wanting to see the disappointment in her gaze as you try and hail Hotaru over and ask for a separate check. You quickly pay for your meal, thanking Irina for taking the time to invite you out, before you hurriedly slide out of the bar stool.

"[Name]-san, you're not being a bother at all! You—"

You just shake your head, not wanting to hear the rest of Irina's well intentioned lies. Gathering your purse and your trusty flashlight, you walk to the door of the room, giving everyone a smile that you don't really feel before walking out into the night once again.


	17. Time For Accidents

"Progress reports?"

You hear a squeaky voice question, causing you to stop in your vigorous pacing around the staff room. To put it bluntly, you were a bit nervous and not looking forward to the rest of today. Even though you had received advance notice, having the principal show up out of nowhere, for reasons you didn't understand fully, was nerve wracking. He was the one who determined your future at this school after all, and possibly any other teaching jobs you aspired to get in Japan. He was just that powerful; which was partly why you were concerned he was showing himself now.

"Yes, they are like…a way for the main building to keep us in check, to see that I am actually doing my job properly, so to speak."

Your footsteps echo around the room as you go back to pacing; a way to put your thoughts in order. It was no good to get wrapped up in things that might not yet happen. Focus on the present; which was the notice you received this morning asking for the first term Class E progress reports. They were self explanatory really, but you still didn't want to leave at a time like this. Explaining this particular hazing ritual with your three...fellow teachers was tiring. Not to mention the whole deal with upcoming mid-terms and the…'grading process' involved with those. You were used to this particular treatment, having done it numerous times since your induction as the teacher for Class E. And, you had a few new ways to deal with their harassment, having learned from the last couple years of being there. You were thankful that there was wifi in this building, though it was quite poor compared to what you had in your small apartment. It would do, you think, you just had to make sure you weren't caught. Again.

"I'll do it. I have things to do over there anyway; and I am registered as the official teacher for Class E after all. It would be odd if I didn't present them. I was going to do some reconnaissance for the upcoming midterms as well. Kill two birds with one stone, you understand?"

You explain, watching as the three teachers in front of you only offer a nod. You didn't want to extrapolate further, more so with Karasuma in the room. If you were lucky, maybe you could use your 'computer skills' to great effect, bypassing even his laptop security and get some info on whatever the government was planning next. You certainly didn't want to be caught unawares if another assassination attempt was going to happen. And you admit you were partially worried for the octopus' sake. If you had to put it into words...Well, you'd rather side with him than against him. You just didn't really trust any of the world's governments. If they were hiding something like Koro Sensei, what could you trust them for aside from fulfilling basic needs?

Besides, supposedly dangerous life form or not, he was a pretty decent guy. When he wasn't trying to a perverted idiot, that is. The two of you had gotten into small fights over his...reading choices to say the least, mainly because you didn't want any of that material making its way into the students hands. At least that was what you told yourself; you knew it was because you were jealous of those swimsuit pin ups, wanting to be half as beautiful as they were, alluring. I'm so pathetic...You mentally chastised yourself, trying to focus on the topic on hand. Right, hacking into the government's computer files.

The laptop Karasuma was using was probably well protected against hacking and the like. You shouldn't expect it to be as pathetic as the main buildings computers, after all. You only knew that due to your years on campus; your own laptop suspiciously unable to get into the main school's network to see important files and information you would need for teaching. Unless you took measures into your own hands, of course. Slightly less than ethical means, but you didn't care that much.

Another dumb rule; you weren't allowed access to the mid term test question files, meaning you often had to take a stab in the dark about what questions would be on the test in the first place. That meant, of course, combined with the insanely hard difficulty of said questions meant the End Class had basically no chance to pass those tests. Their only real shot at getting back into the main building. Bastards and their twisted tricks...You only shrug, trying to push those thoughts to the back of your mind for now, turning to Irina and Koro Sensei with a sad smirk.

"It's not like you two could do it, considering not too many people know about...this whole thing."

You gesticulate with your hands, spreading them all over the staff room. The government always turned out to be the big bad in movies and media usually as well, and you highly suspect that was the case here. Why go through so much trouble to kill Koro Sensei if he wasn't a result of their mistakes that they wanted covered up? You just felt the whole situation was fishy; and obviously the government wasn't going to tell you everything it didn't see as necessary. It was a sort of instinct, a gut feeling; similar to the one you had when you felt that Koro Sensei was a decent person, perverted antics notwithstanding. You just ignore the butterflies in your stomach as you turn away from said teacher, not wanting to be distracted.

"Karasuma probably has better things to do anyway, 'observing' or whatever. You guys can take care of my classes while I do this. It won't be too long anyway."

Karasuma seems the most satisfied with your reasoning, even going so far as to offer you a small smirk.

"That's fine then. I have no objections."

"Good; not that it mattered if you did. I'll be back. Try to survive without me for an hour, hm?"

You deadpan, a small smile turning up at the corners of your mouth. You quickly go through your purse, getting the documents you had made up last night as well as some cheap hacking tools to assist in your sabotage attempts. Nothing special; just a simple bug or two so you could get into the main buildings network files. You feel a familiar pair of suckers start to grab onto your shoulder, keeping you in place for a moment while said tentacled teacher moves next to you.

"Alright. You owe me though...And I have a couple ideas of how you can pay me back."

You just feel your face flush with heat, no response ready for his little joke just yet. You were too busy imagining what exactly he could mean by 'ideas', a few of your own springing into your mind and making your throat dry. Koro Sensei seems to have noticed your odd pause, seeing as you usually had a sharp report for him whenever he made such suggestions. You can feel his round face nearly press up against your cheek, a mischievous smile on his face as he began to tease you.

"What's wrong, [Name]-Sensei? You aren't thinking about anything weird…are you?"

"W-what!? I w-wasn't thinking about a-anything of the sort!"

You barely sputter out a response, too quickly you realize as it comes out of your flustered lips. You slip out of his range and just ignore the feeling of him watching you as you leave the staff room, door closing shut behind you. So it was with a pounding heart that you grabbed a file folder, sure to make numerous copies of the progress report in case they were 'accidentally misplaced' like they had been a few times before. You were going to be fine; you could do this. All you had to do was drop off the reports, make small talk with some of the teachers and then leave. Easy, right? No big deal, yeah?

Oh, you were so naive. You had forgotten everything regarding the main building in your time teaching various End Classes. You only did your best to ignore the pointed stares your way, from students and teachers alike as you went through the main building. All you had to do was head to the staff room, and yet just this small act was making your gut turn. The judging stares, whispered words and oppressive atmosphere had assaulted you the moment you went into the building, or possibly before. Spending time with the end class teachers had made you forget the callousness of the main building staff. Dumbass, you had thought it would be easy, didn't you? The teachers in the faculty room barely offer you a greeting as you announce yourself, giving a small bow mainly out of sheer politeness. Walking to the head teacher, you do your best to maneuver around office chairs, computers buzzing away at long tables where they were typing away working. You hear the sound too late, your vision unable to notice anything out of the ordinary to be a buffer; the squeaking of a chair against the tile floor as it is pulled out right in the path of your moving foot.

You feel your leg nearly twist as it hooks against the leg of the chair, which had not been noticeable to you before you had started walking towards the other faculty members. You steady yourself with your hands, letting out a small exhale as you feel them slam against the concrete, the folder holding your documents sliding against the floor with a harsh skitter. You ignored that pain, and the harsher bang of your knee as it bashed against the floor, more focused on the opportunity that had presented itself to you in the form of a computer tower. There we go!

Quickly, you make it look like you were attempting to get up, while doing your best to stick the small object on a part that wasn't very visible to the naked eye and yet still had an accessible USB port. That should do it; these idiots were so dense you doubted they'd even see it. Hopefully if they did, they would think nothing of it, mistaking it for a regular USB stick. Aside from the principal maybe, but he rarely came by the main building's lower floors, preferring to stay in his office. Good. Now you'd just set up things back at the staff room and instant access! Well, it would take some finagling but nothing you weren't used to by now.

You only ignore the other teachers, pretty used to your treatment by the main building staff after your small walk to the faculty room. It had bothered when you were new, before you understood the odd inner politics that ran the system. You still didn't like it, but had lost the will to complain really, lest you lash out and possibly lose your job. You didn't want that. You admittedly preferred your revenge to be more subtle, unable to be tracked back to you. Less you get another reprimand from the principal for disrupting his system, just like that time.

You just endured the stares turned on you, no one offering to help you up or even make a peep for your sake, doing your best to get up onto your feet and stand in the small aisle. You just pick up the scattered papers on the floor, depositing them on the desk of the head teacher. They don't even acknowledge you, much less offer thanks, and you do your best to tell yourself that it isn't personal when you walk away from them. You were quite used to it after all; the other faculty usually treated you with this level of contempt on a regular basis. It was why you barely made it a habit to go to the main building, their judging, accusatory stares, dampening your mood. But as was the case this time, you told yourself it was for the students, that they needed you. No one else here cares for the remnants of Class E after all, seeing the poor kids as trash, unsalvageable. You didn't agree with their views about those poor children at all; probably the main reason why you butted heads with many of the teachers here.

"Oh, I'm sorry, [Name]-san. I should have warned you beforehand."

You hear one of them say, feeling the undercurrent of malice in their words, though their tone suggested otherwise. You just half turned their way, not even really registering them on your radar.

"It's fine. I should have paid more attention, I suppose…I've done what I needed to, so I will get out of your hair now."

You do your best to give all of the faculty a small nod and bow before leaving, doing your best to not stumble out of the room on your aching leg. Their fake kindness and concern was making your stomach turn; not to mention their peals of laughter and snide comments when they thought you had left the vicinity. Things such as 'Thank goodness she left' 'What a klutz' and the usual 'Are all foreign teachers so dumb?' hummed around in your brain. Thankfully, it only took a few minutes for you to exit the building, students staring at you all the while, though less vocal with their colorful comments as before. You just do your best to keep you composure steady, taking a few deep breaths as you walk down the pathway towards the mountains, not wanting anyone to see you so put out. You couldn't help it; despite your protests otherwise, the words of the main building's teachers and children hurt, stung you right to your core.

Whatever...I gave my report on the kids' progress. Can't fire me for doing my job…You think, a small comfort to you as you descend the steps at the side of the school. You let out a shout as you feel your foot slip on the edge of a step, as there were no handholds or ways to catch yourself mid slip. There was no special reason you had slipped; lack of attention on your part, and a stubbornness to not use your cane definitely played a part in it however. You just feel the air blast out of your lungs as your back slams against the stone steps, your head following suit with a blow that made you see stars for a few seconds.

You could feel your body tumbling along the other steps, every small bounce causing aches to run up your torso, legs and arms scraping painfully against the stone. They finally come to a stop moments later, your body half sprawled against the small landing, though by that time the damage was already done. You just try your best to ignore the stabs of pain flaring across your body as you attempt to stand up, aching and bruised from the tumble down the steps and the following scrapes against the ground. It wasn't anything that would put you out of commission, but it was uncomfortable and did hurt.

You just let out a huff of discontent, doing your best to keep walking towards the path to the mountain, knowing full well that was going to be another ordeal. It isn't long until you feel the back of your head start to throb in pain, your hand involuntarily going to clutch it as you feel your finger thread through your hair. It didn't seem any different, aside from the slight pain you felt when you applied pressure there, so you tried to pay it no mind. If it wasn't bleeding, and didn't interfere with your work, then it was probably nothing to worry about.

Even the odd wave of dizziness you felt while hiking up the mountain was normal, or so you told yourself, as you steadily gripped onto your bent knees for support. You were just making the problem seem worse than it was; you were fine. And certainly not going to be a bother to anyone else today. You'd be damned if you let the octopus stay behind for you again, the memories of your last unfortunate encounter bringing shame to your flushed face.

You just do your best to take the climb one step at a time, finally reaching the top after what seems like an eternity, a wave of dizziness assaulting you soon afterwards. Thankfully the schools hallways are easier to navigate than the mountain path, and you slowly make your way towards the staff room. You stop however, as you see an odd blur near the front of the door, their form only coming into focus as you move closer. It makes your heart race in fear, confusion flashing across your face as you finally recognize the human in front of you.

"Ah, good afternoon, sir."

You offer the taller man a small bow, ignoring the flares of pain it ignites along your back, waiting until you hear his affirmation of your greeting to stand upright. Which once again makes you feel the need to grab onto something for support, but you deny it, not wanting to be seen as weak by this man. His narrow eyes regard you for a moment, and you feel a tremor of fear pass through you then, though your eye narrows at him in response.

You respected the man somewhat, seeing as he was your boss, but you just did not agree with his methods of teaching. Using Class E as fodder for the rest of the school...It made your blood boil to say the least. Implying that they were worthless, despite their own individual gifts and talents that were being snuffed out by the system, made you grit your teeth together in a frown. Right now however, he was just a concerned principal checking in on his class; his experiment, as you deigned to call it. He saw the kids as nothing more than guinea pigs after all, so to call the class his experiment was no small scratch you thought. Expendable, all of you, that's what you assumed he thought of your ragtag bunch.

"Delivering the mid month progress reports for Class E? How...admirable of you, [Name]-Sensei."

Even his tone sounded like it was mocking you, though his face paid no hint of that; you could see it in his eyes. Their narrow, focused gaze like a predator stalking their prey. Then it was gone as he continued to pass you in the hallway, leaving you standing there like an idiot. You only shrug, still having trouble figuring out what that man was up to even after your four years teaching here, and make your way towards the staff room entrance.

"Oh, it looks like you've returned. Good."

Karasuma's voice greets you as you open the door to the staff room. You can only stare at him for a moment before your attention snaps to the noisy figure behind him. Honestly you weren't sure how you didn't notice him earlier, thrashing about on the floor as he was. You can only take in the odd situation before you, your brain needing a moment to process what exactly it was you were seeing.

Koro Sensei was wiggling on the floor, tiny graduation cap rolling off of his head to the side, his usually meticulous robes slightly dirtied, and face strained as his various tentacles seemed to be caught up and entangled in some sort of...device. You couldn't make it out clearly, but it seemed to be giving him some trouble, judging by the way he squirmed and writhed about on the floor. He was almost hogtied by the device, tentacles bound in a peculiar tie of sorts, having no real room to maneuver, cursing under his breath every so often, tentacles flailing. Then again, that was also possibly because of Irina's lithe form leaning over him, her hands desperately attempting to strike him with Anti-Sensei knives. It was still no good of course; even tied up he was more than capable of dodging her strikes, which in turn made the blonde assassin more angry.

"Stay still, dammit!"

He only begins to stop his gyrations for a bare fraction of a second as his eyes meet yours, their usual black giving way to a small circle of white, cheeks underneath turning a noticeable pink. You just watch his body change color in its entirety immediately from his usual yellow to a bright pink, which was slightly odd to you. Certainly he would have been colored pink earlier, when he had first been outed by the suspicious wire puzzle and put into that compromising position. But no, Koro Sensei only started to change colors when he noticed you entered the room, your gaze focused on his trembling form.

He righted himself soon after, flinging the wire puzzle with an exhausted huff onto the staff room table, though you still noticed the pink complexion of his skin which had ample time to change back to its original color. Maybe Koro Sensei was embarrassed at you finding him in such a situation. No, that couldn't be it, could it? You were thinking too highly of yourself; certainly he had other things more important to think about than what you thought of him in that irregular moment of weakness. Right?

"...[Name]-Sensei! Y-you've returned!"

He calls out, though his voice is somewhat strained and less jovial in tone than usual. You notice a slight stutter to his words as well, his pink color only deepening in shade as he refuses to make eye contact with you. The pair of you are brought back to reality with a sharp cough from Karasuma, who merely narrows his eyes before speaking. You think however, that you can see the ghost of a smile on his face, before it is replaced with his usual stern expression.

"It seems that Principal Asano paid us a visit while you were gone. Wanted to remind us about the upcoming midterms."

The man explained, though you felt it had more to do than that. Why would a man of his stature walk all the way here when he clearly saw Class E as nothing more than test subjects? You thought you had an idea, staring at the inhuman teacher next to you…

"Yes...The principal—"

A wave of dizziness washes over you right then, stopping you from completing your words as you nearly lurch into one of the staff room chairs. You feel a pair of hands, human hands, grip your shoulders and help you steady yourself. A blurry frowning Irina enters your field of vision then, her brow furrowed slightly as she appraises you.

"You don't look so good...Are you alright?"

You merely smile and shake your head, despite the pain rattling in your skull as you do so, even going so far as to chuckle.

"Hahaha, I'm fine! It's nothi—" Once again, you are cut off by the feeling of dizziness and pain overtaking you, a strangled noise escaping your throat despite yourself. You feel the three other teachers narrow their eyes at you then, Irina being kind enough to help you settle into a chair. You just put one hand to the back of your head, surprise flashing across your face as you feel a sticky substance coat your fingers.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing...Just took a small tumble and hit my head a tad."

You reply, avoiding the concerned gaze of the teachers near you. You feel a chill run down your spine then, a tentacle tightly wrapping around your main wrist, exposing your bloodied palm for everyone to see.

"You're bleeding! This is serious; you might have a concussion, you know. Please, let me see…"

You feel him slide behind you then, muttering a small apology as you feel his feelers gently and carefully part the layers of your hair, wincing slightly as you feel him put the tiniest amount of pressure on the spot where you bashed your head.

"I don't want to owe you more than I do already! Those classes are my resp—"

"You can't possibly teach in that condition—and I don't care what you say. Is there anyone you can call? Anyone that lives with you that can help? To keep you company? Being alone right now is really bad idea; you should have someone capable to watch over you."

His face is concerned as he speaks, a couple tentacles running through your hair and checking for any other signs of damage, though his tone is somewhat harsh and uncompromising. You think for a moment, trying to focus despite the dizziness clouding your mind. You didn't really have too many people you could rely on, at least for something as critical as this, and you didn't want to bother the few who could.

Azusa and Hotaru come to mind, the pair of them probably being the first example you can think of, but you'd rather not have them involved. They would worry too much for you; you didn't need them wasting their energy. Azusa has it hard enough as it is with her cancer, same with Hotaru. You just tilt your head upwards slightly, wincing at the throb of pain in the back of your head when you do so.

"N-no. And you don't need to—"

"Oh, don't start with that. You are not bothering anyone! I have half a mind to fly you to the hospital myself!"

You hear him shout out, making your face turn red, but Karasuma interrupts his tirade before you can get a word in edgewise.

"Oh no you won't. Don't forget; you're a national secret. We can't afford to let the public know about you."

You felt like his eyes said more, hard set and narrowed as they were when they met Koro Sensei's unflinching gaze. Like they said 'It's not worth exposing our secret over something so trivial.' Which kind of made your heart ache, knowing Karasuma thought so little of you. You wanted to at least be on decent terms with the military officer, even if becoming friends seemed like a long shot.

"Just leave [Name]-Sensei in my care for now. I can get her to a hospital easy enough. And this would leave the two of you free to teach."

"A-are you...sure Karasuma-Sensei? I wouldn't want to...be any trouble, after all…"

You mutter, fighting against another wave of dizziness, as you feel Koro Sensei peer down at you. Karasuma only offers you a slight nod of his head, which you simply try to follow as he moves closer.

"I'm fine with it. If I do this, that octopus will owe me one. Besides, I am quite concerned for your health."

With some hesitation you attempt to grab Karasuma's offered hand, you feel yourself start to wobble as you take a couple steps backwards. Almost immediately, you feel something soft press up against your back, making you squeal in surprise as you notice your feet being lifted out from under you. You feel his appendages start to let go of you, albeit reluctantly, passing you into Karasuma's waiting arms. Goddammit! This is pathetic. I am not a child!

"You can barely walk...Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fiiine! Just dizzy."

You narrow your eyes at the octopus, whose only response is to turn a light shade of blue, which makes your chest ache. You know he was just trying to be helpful, but this was embarrassing! Still, you couldn't lie; you were having a rough time staying on your feet. You can only watch as Karasuma starts to carry you out of the room, the other two teachers following close behind. You notice a couple of the students peek their heads out of the classroom door, doing your best to fake a smile as you watch their faces twist in surprise.

"[Name]-Sensei! What happened!?"

"Ah, well...I had a small accident and I have to go right now. Koro Sensei was nice enough to volunteer to cover for me. Please don't give him too much trouble."

You try to gloss over what has really happened, not wanting to worry the students any. They had enough to focus on without becoming involved in your mess, after all. The two children only give you even more worried glances, Kayano peeking her head out as well.

"It's alright, really! Nothing to worry about!"

You hear Koro Sensei start to say, watching as he attempts to calm the students.

"Homeroom will just be a little bit later than usual today. Just sit tight and classes will begin shortly."

You just watch his large body start to blur as you head down the hallway, the bright light of the sun making you close your eyes right after. When you open them, the two of you are already heading down the mountain path, Karasuma focusing on the downwards slope. Koro Sensei and Irina appear outside as well, and you notice the latter has a somewhat angry frown on her face. The octopus however, is more focused on you at the moment, gangly arms crossed over each other and hiding in his long robe.

"Be careful, Karasuma-Sensei! If you do anything to [Name]-Sensei, well...We won't forgive you!"

You hear both of them shout, a chuckle escaping your lips as you notice Karasuma stiffen, a frown on his usually blank face.

"Please," you taunt back, giving the two a cheesy grin as you watch them turn into a mix of colored blurs. "I doubt this stick in the mud would do anything to me. He's too…'professional' for that! I'll see you guys after this whole thing is over."

"Don't be foolish! Take some time off, I mean it! If I see you here tomorrow, I'm going to—"

Koro Sensei's frustrated ramblings became too quiet for you to hear then, the sight of the rickety school building disappearing from view as Karasuma carefully nestled your head against his arm, keeping it elevated and still so as not to shake it around. Which was more than likely considering the toughness of the mountain path; you had quite a time going back up it earlier today. You just let out an exhausted sigh, frustrated with yourself and the situation you had gotten into.

"What's the matter? Are you in pain?"

He asks, quite matter of factly, though you can hear the tiniest hint of concern in his gruff voice. He really wasn't a bad guy…

"No, it's just…"

"You'd rather have the octopus doing this, wouldn't you?"

The bluntness of which he asks the question shocks you. Whether he was chiding you intentionally or not, you feel your stomach do a backflip as you consider his question. Did you? You weren't too sure, though you admit the idea sounded nice. You feel your cheeks heat up, starting to imagine his numerous appendages cradling you, their soft texture quite different from Karasuma's hard, muscular arms. They were probably much safer too, not that you didn't trust Karasuma, but...You realize you've been silent this whole time; probably not helping your case any, so you attempt to begin talking, though your mouth feels like you've eaten sandpaper.

"I...N-no! W-what are you saying? I appreciate this very much! You didn't have to—"

"But I offered. Now, please be quiet. I can't pick out a good path with you yammering in my ear."

The two of you were mostly silent after that, Karasuma doing his best to find ways around the obstacles that wouldn't shock your head too much. He did ask if you were okay every so often, to which you responded with a yes in order to let him know you were still awake. Thankfully, it was over before you knew it, a black car seemingly pulling up out of nowhere. The military officer easily strode over to the car, opening the back door with a deft ease that was surprising, considering he was carrying your heavy frame. Karasuma easily hoisted himself into the back seat, still holding your head steady and fitting the pair of you into the seats comfortably enough, your body stretching across the final two lengths quite comfortably. At a time like this, you were appreciative of your short stature; it would have probably been troublesome to squeeze into this car if you were taller.

"Oh, what happened?"

The voice was that of a woman, though you couldn't see her that well due to your lack of sight from being in the backseat of the car. Karasuma only turns to look at them with a neutral expression, before turning his gaze to you.

"Ah, I thought it best to take her myself. I'd rather not leave her in our target's care. Not for something like this."

"I see, sir. Nice to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

You let out a small laugh, not doubting the sincerity of her words, attempting to offer your own greeting.

"Me too…"

"We should get going. You need to see a professional, just to be safe. We wouldn't want this getting worse, after all."

Karasuma states, seemingly giving the driver the go ahead, as you feel the vehicle whirr into action a moment later, engine purring. You just lay down quietly against his chest, not really embarrassed about the situation as you watch the school fly by in the window...


	18. Time for The Hospital

You were quiet for most of the car ride to the hospital, only speaking up when Karasuma or his associate inquired about your condition. It still hurt like hell, and you could feel a sizable pain in the back of your head that made it harder to focus. Thankfully you didn't have too much to focus on, so you only kept your head elevated against the military man's thigh, his hand keeping your position steady. You were grateful for the bandages wrapped tightly around your head at that moment, keeping everything mostly together and clean, making a tiny note to repay the octopus later when you could for the help.

For being an artificially created life form, Koro Sensei certainly was quite familiar with medical procedures, wasn't he? You wondered just what his previous career could have been when he was still human? A doctor maybe? It seemed plausible to you, though the fact that he was so good at predicting your assassination attempts made you skeptical. No ordinary doctor would be able to do that so easily…

Then maybe Koro Sensei was something else entirely. You felt an odd dread come up in the pit of your stomach then as you began to form more ideas based on what little you knew of him. At the very least, he had some major medical experience, so it definitely had to be something along those lines. A pain in your throbbing head made you push the thoughts away, wanting to maybe save them for when you were in a better state. Wouldn't do to over exert yourself now.

You were thankful for the help, not too sure you could take care of yourself well enough right now, but also guilty. Karasuma had better things to do than look after you just because you slipped on some stairs, after all. This was surely below his pay grade, and probably something he never saw himself doing when he signed up for the job.

"Sorry, Karasuma-san…"

You blurt out as soon as you consider the words, causing the usually stern faced teacher to stare at you in shock. He puts a hand to his face and sighs, shaking his head as his narrow eyes lock with yours.

"Don't apologize. Someone had to look after you while you were in this state after all...The octopus probably would have flew you to the hospital at Mach speed if I hadn't convinced him otherwise."

"Haha—ow!"

You try to laugh at his statement, but stop midway as a throb of pain erupts from your head to the top of your spine, the image of being carried off by the tentacled teacher at Mach speed making warmth spread through your chest. You wouldn't doubt he would have done such a thing, weirdly smitten with you as he was. You just grimace from the throbbing pain in your head, stiffening against the military officer, who only gave you a concerned stare.

"Don't worry; we can get you the treatment you need here…"

You watch as he stops talking then, his lips forming into a tight line as his eyes glare down at you. You weren't sure what emotion was there; but what you thought you saw made you shiver slightly. Then you blinked and his expression was back to normal, the usual neutral face that he always wore. Were you imagining things? Maybe the bump to the head made you more than just disoriented, you try to tell yourself.

You admit you had more trouble trying to focus on your surroundings than you would like. That made you uneasy; as did the cutting off of the engine, the car sliding forward due to inertia before stopping with a small bounce. Had you arrived already? You guess so; you really had no idea of how long you had been driving. It could have been for a few minutes or at least an hour, seeing as many of the major hospitals lay outside of the tiny country town of Iruma. One disadvantage of living in a quiet suburb like this; everything essential was quite far away.

"We've arrived, Karasuma-senpai. Let me go get a mobility device. It wouldn't do for you to carry her like that into the hospital, now, would it?"

You hear the woman driver remark, the man holding your head steady only offering a small grunt of affirmation. You can hear their door click open as they step out, shoes harshly clattering on what you supposed was pavement. Another rush of guilt went through you; you inconvenienced someone else again. It isn't long before you find yourself situated in a wheelchair, Karasuma carefully maneuvering you across the parking lot and into the front doors of the building. You just watch silently as he describes your situation to the desk staff, too queasy yourself at the moment to speak—else you would have tried to.

You just sit there, pain flashing through your head every few moments, as you feel the wheelchair move along. Not to soon after, the two of you are brought into a room, and told to wait until the nurse arrives. The silence is quiet but not too awkward, as you really aren't in the mood to talk as you want to conserve your strength. Thankfully the nurse arrives only a few minutes later, already asking you questions in order to determine how much you could recall.

"What day is it today?"

"Ahhh...I think Thursday? Maybe? It's probably around the tail end of June, too. Maybe like the...eerrmm...twentieth or so?"

You rack what little brainpower you had left to answer the question; you never were super great at keeping track of things like dates. That's why you always put alerts on your phone and calendars at home, to remind yourself of any upcoming things that needed to be taken care of. You feel apprehensive as the nurse takes some notes on their clipboard, pen scribbling on paper, before they turn back to you with a smile.

They ask you some more questions; what's your job, how did you fall, how old are you, how many fingers as they holding up, and you answer them as best as you are currently able. Though the fingers question does throw you for a loop; not because of your head pain, but because of your distance from the nurse that you can't exactly make out their hand fully. It was a blurred mess, making your head spin just trying to comprehend it, and you do admit so to the nurse, who only nods sympathetically at you. Then the questions are done, and the nurse nicely asks for you to wait for the doctor to arrive.

You watch the nurse leave the room, closing the door behind them as they give you a small smile, which you attempt to return as best you can. And so you wait, closing your eyes to block out the harsh fluorescent lights that gave off a tiny thrumming noise. They really were making you a tad uncomfortable, buzzing in your ears, though part of you thought it was more to do with the head trauma you had suffered than anything. All too long for your liking, the door finally opens, squeaking as a thin figure slides inside the room. It takes you a couple moments to try and sit up, your head dizzy as you do so and try to take in the figure before you.

His face was gaunt, quite pale and his eyes were slightly sunken into his head. Whoever this doctor was, it seemed that they didn't get much sleep, judging by the dead expression in their eyes that only faded when they rested upon you. You lock eyes with him for a second and you feel yourself involuntarily shiver; there was something off about his gaze. You play it off as part of your paranoia; you do get nervous around new faces. Plus, the stiff atmosphere of the hospital had put you on edge since you entered. The smile he wore was unnerving to you, thin lips stretching into a small smirk as he regarded you. A clammy sweat spread on your palms and neck as you saw him move closer. You really were quite skittish weren't you?

"What's the matter? Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Uhm...A dull pain, maybe? In the back of my head—but that makes sense…"

"Of course, of course. Now, I'll need to check your head to assess the damage and see what we would need to do to fix it. Can't have it healing wrong, now can we?"

They just carefully take a cloth, a hiss escaping your lips as you feel the stinging pain of the disinfectant against your skin. You knew it had to be done before they could properly treat the wounds, but it still surprised you. They just look at you with concern on their face, a blush spreading across your cheeks.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes...Continue."

You then feel them carefully run their fingers through the spots on your head, the pressure somewhat uncomfortable to you as you feel it rub up against your temples. You let out a small noise of discomfort, and you think you see the doctor's eyes narrow slightly.

"Hurts, does it? Yes, this will have to be stitched up. I'd rather have it done sooner than later, so let me see if I can get someone. After that is done, I'll give you some vitamins and an IV for later, as I think it would be best for you to stay here for a couple days. Just to make sure everything is alright. You never know with concussions."

"Ok...You are the Doctor, after all."

Things pass by in a blur after that—probably because you had been drugged for the stitches so it wouldn't hurt as much—-fragments on the edge of your mind. You do remember Karasuma and his compatriots leaving you after some time though, understanding that they had other more important things to take care of. So you are left alone, in your hospital room, lying in your bed with an IV pumping medicine into your bloodstream. Nurses did check up on you every so often, and soon enough it became quite late, night darkening your room as you laid there almost helplessly. You kind of hated it; but understood there was nothing you could do. Just wait it out, you told yourself.

You feel the bump in the back of your head scratch at your skin, your fingers twitching as they try to deny the sudden urge for you take your hands and comb through your hair to get at it. That wouldn't help anything, so you don't, just trying to stay calm despite the anxiety floating on the surface of your stomach. You toss and turn in your sheets, unable to really sleep despite the tiredness making your lids droop. Then you notice the bottle of pills on your counter, an impulse spreading through you at the sight of them. It grew stronger, eating away at your mind bit by bit until you couldn't take it any more.

The small cylinder calls out to you, your shaking hand gripping it loosely as your mind struggled to comprehend the idea bubbling to the surface of your consciousness. It was written there clearly so even you could read it, in a plain yet bold typeface that make the hairs of your neck stand up on end.

'Do not consume with alcohol.'

Taunting you, daring you.

'Do not consume with alcohol.'

But where would I even find any? You think, knowing that you weren't really the type to drink. Sure, once or twice after working hard on sparse occasions—maybe a couple times a year—but not to the extent you would casually keep it in your fridge. Not that you were home at the moment anyway; the doctors wanting to run some more tests on your head just to be safe. Even if you had access to a good vintage, what a waste it would be, to open it for something as fleeting and stupid as this. A passing delusion brought on by a moment of weakness...One of many to come, you bitterly think, shoving the capsules in your nightstand drawer. Without work to keep your mind occupied, you felt like these sorts of ideas would come to mind more often than they usually did.

You just try to suppress the odd clenching in your gut, knowing that you would have your work cut out for you when you returned to your teaching duties. Keeping the kids in shape for the upcoming midterms was going to be a daunting task; one that you needed all your wits about you for. You couldn't afford to be pathetic now. You would just wait out the couple days you had to be contained here, go through the tests that were required of you and then go home.

A small vibration against your hand makes you stop that train of thought in its tracks. You gently turn your head towards the sound, watching as your phone lights up the pitch dark room with a notification. It stings your eyes slightly, the sudden brightness making you squint at the screen before it comes into focus. Who would that be? You ponder, not exactly sure who would text you this late at night. Though you had an idea...Which was immediately confirmed as you saw the number on the screen, sliding open your phone to read the message inside.

Guess who? (*)

You feel the corners of your mouth turn up in a tiny smile at seeing the message—along with the oddly shaped smile next to it. As he had promised on your earlier date, Koro Sensei had given you his number and you likewise. It was only fair, after all. Though part of you did wonder how he had gotten access to a cell phone in the first place, looking the way he was. He'd surely stand out in a shop that small, you think, imagining him picking out phones wearing his usual disguise. You had gotten used to the occasional text he would send, emoticons and all, from time to time. You blink as a follow up text immediately appears on the screen, phone vibrating in your hand once again as it received the message.

Sorry I couldn't come over; Tutoring the students took longer than I thought. I'd rather not come visit now, so late in the evening as is it. Who knows what people would think if they saw us, hmm? (*o*)

Oh, that's fine; the students take priority over me after all. I was just about to go to sleep, actually. If I wasn't stuck in the hospital for tests rn, I'd enjoy the company! Most of the doctors are quite nice, aside from one in particular...There's this one guy—the head, I guess? who examined me—was kinda creepy looking. Gave me chills, tbh.

You feel your phone vibrate in your hand a couple seconds later, watching the brightly lit screen come alive with words.

Oh, sorry! (ﾟдﾟ) I just wanted to see how you were doing! (〃ω〃)

A creepy doctor, huh? They didn't do anything weird to you, did they?

You let out a soft chuckle after reading his text. He really was adorable, Koro Sensei's excitable personality even coming through in his use of emoticons. Too bad you weren't super great at figuring out those weird things; texting was another thing entirely, and Japan had its own way of doing things. Not like you had many people you could text anyway. You just shoot him back a response, not wanting to leave him hanging. You felt slightly bad for making the conversation last longer than it needed, but he seemed to be genuinely concerned for your welfare, and you wanted him to know everything was fine.

Oh, thanks. I'm fine though and don't need anything atm. It was mainly just the usual things; ECG reading, blood pressure, an IV drip for something, y'know? I don't really remember what the guy looked like; I admit I had trouble staying focused. Maybe I'm just losing my mind, lol.

Seriously, though. Don't risk your own safety trying to get into a place like this. I doubt your disguises would work here; and I'm going to be fine, I said! Just focus on teaching for now, hmm? The kids need you more than they do me, y'know? It's late; you should get to sleep soon too! Good night.

( _ ) I'm serious. If you need anything, don't feel guilty about calling or texting me. Just do it! I can get there in seconds.

You only let out a small sigh, unsure whether to lie and placate his mood or tell the truth. You decide on the former, not wanting him to be upset over you. All you had to do was take it easy for a few days, that was all.

No, really, I'm all right. Thanks for checking up on me. You're so thoughtful...

It only takes him a moment to send a response, making your heart flutter slightly with warmth. He really did care about you, didn't he? Well...that wouldn't last for long, once he saw what a spineless coward you really were.

…All right. Good dreams, [Name]-san. I may come over after school, if I don't have any tutoring going on. Or maybe during lunch, if that's ok with you? (*-)

You only smirk at his response, your chest filling with a warmth that seemed to push away the depressing thoughts you were having.

I'm okay with either; whatever's easier for you, honestly. I'll try to be awake and ready for it! I admit I might be asleep most of the day; sorry! That, or being taken care of by doctors. The hospital staff seem nice enough, though I gotta say, are all the hospitals as far away as this one?

You simply put your phone on your nightstand, not in the mood to answer any more texts, placing it upside down as you finally nestle into the covers and lay down to sleep properly. It only takes you a few moments to settle down, your head making a list with ideas for things the two of you could do tomorrow, the buzzing of your phone merely an afterthought as you try to go to sleep.


	19. Time for Going Home

You blearily turn around in your sheets, hand grabbing for your glasses as you rub the sleep out of your eyes. Compared to the time you usually woke up on weekdays it was quite late, the sun already pretty high up in the sky. You only sighed as you looked around your empty and plain hospital room, spirits dampening as you realized you would be trapped here for another day. Not in the mood to get out of bed just yet—what would you even do if you could—you reach for your phone, surprised when you see a notification from last night going across the screen. It seems that he had left one more text, but you had been too occupied with going to sleep to read it.

There's a hospital right here, though. (・・?) Karasuma-Sensei could have brought you there...Oh, I'm probably worrying over nothing! Just take care and good night!

Before you could register what his text meant, you heard a knock on your door, and a voice calmly ask for you by name. Answering, you put your phone in sleep mode, setting it on the nightstand as you watch the door open, a man in a white doctor's uniform stepping into your room. He was different from the other man who helped stitch you up; quite normal looking, and the aura he gave off certainly nowhere near as creepy. Though you still had a bad feeling in the back of your mind. Like a stone had been dropped into your stomach, diminishing your appetite. Part of you assumed it was because of the possible high insurance costs of staying here. Another reason why you wanted to go home as soon as possible.

"How are we feeling today?"

"Pretty good honestly. I think I can move about with no trouble, getting food down is ok, and the dizziness is just about gone. Why do you still have me hooked up to...whatever this stuff is?"

You ask, motioning to the IV on your arm. The fluid was busily pumping into you, though the bag looked somewhat deflated. A nurse would probably change it soon, you figured. They usually did every few hours, while bringing you food or clean sheets, something which you were grateful for. Though you really wished to go home; a question you immediately ask the doctor. He gives you a kind smile, and this one even extends to his eyes as he speaks.

"Ah, you should be all set to leave tomorrow. Possibly sometime in the afternoon. You took quite the fall, see, and with your sight issues we were concerned about the possibility of you losing it completely. We also just wanted to make sure you were stable before you left the hospital. It wouldn't do for you to pass out again. We just wanted to be sure you would be in the best of health before you could go home, is all!"

Ok, that makes sense. You were just relieved at hearing a date, honestly, not wanting to be trapped in this small, medicine smelling room any longer than you had to. You could endure one more day, easy! You nod at the doctor, thanking him for his information. He just smiles back at you, moving over to the end of your bed and grabbing your chart. He looks it over, flipping through a page or two and steadily eyeing them before he turns to you once more.

"Now, if you would permit me to run a few more tests; just a physical and a few other things…"

"Sure, sure…"

You answer, stepping out of your bed somewhat clumsily and following the doctor out of the room. Hopefully this would prove you were well enough to go home and be on your own for a while...

Sorry. Something important came up, and I had to take care of it right away, so I couldn't see you today.

You just look at the message on your phone, a sharp ache of disappointment flaring from your chest as you drop your hand to your side. You had expected it, yes, but for it to affect you in such a way was more than a little concerning. You only slink back into your bedsheets, letting the warmth of the covers envelope you as you try to think of a response. Part of you wanted to call and talk to him, as reading the long messages sent back and forth between the two of you was somewhat exhausting. Still...you were tired after all of the tests and exams you have had to go through today, and part of you didn't want to bother him. He was probably busy teaching and at least this way he could still focus on that.

Oh, it's fine. Maybe we can do something once I get out of here? Thankfully I'm cleared to be released tomorrow...

You type, a knot of anticipation building in your chest. If he was busy, you didn't want to annoy him. Sensei most likely had his moments where he wanted to be alone too. But you admitted to yourself you were more than little lonely at this moment, despite not being much of a people person, actually desiring someone's else companionship rather than being cooped up in here on your own. You had been alone in this single room for a while now, with only a nightstand, the two windows and a small vase of flowers for company.

You were here for a couple days now, the testing not yet over as the doctors had wanted to make sure you were alright. It was making you more than a little stir crazy, being unable to do any of the things that you usually did when you were home. It also didn't help that the food was lousy, and that nurses often came to check up on you every so often during the day. You valued your independence; though you understood they were only doing their jobs, so you couldn't get too mad. As if to stop your wandering thoughts before they became too intrusive, you feel the small phone in your palm vibrate, letting you know he has likely typed out a response by now.

Of course we can do something! For now though, you just focus on keeping your strength up! Have you been eating regularly? Being picky isn't going to get you in proper teaching shape faster, y'know!

You feel your cheeks flush as you read the last line of his text, almost able to hear him admonishing you as if he was right next to you. You had been eating mostly everything they had brought you, though it was a little too bland for even your basic tastes. You were partially surprised at how much he knew about your eating habits, seeing as he often went elsewhere to take his own lunch breaks. This guy…

I've been eating just fine, thank you. How are the students doing? Everything going well in time for their midterms? You been holding up without my superior guidance, junior teacher?

You jokingly text, a small smile painting your face as you imagine his response. You were concerned about the children, yes, since it had been a few days. You had a feeling he was managing just fine; even probably teaching your own material better than you did—which honestly made your heart sink at your inadequacy—but that didn't stop the need to make a joke at his expense. You were technically still the head teacher of Class E after all.

[Name]-Sensei, need I remind you who you are dealing with here? Teaching has been going well, though many of the students have expressed their concern for your well being. By the time you get back, they'll be more than ready for those midterms!

Oh, is that so? I'm looking forward to it! Well, it's getting late again and I'm exhausted. I'll see you sometime tomorrow then; after I get readjusted. Night…

The morning goes by in a flash, the doctor's performing one last quick check up before you were finally cleared to leave. Thankfully you didn't have much in the way of possessions—considering no one else lived with you and could go get your things for you—so you exited the hospital wearing the outfit you had before, carrying your small bag at your side. The fresh air felt good as it brushed against your face, the sun warm and inviting compared to the chilly atmosphere of the hospital. You were glad to be out, and it showed on your otherwise expressionless face.

"Hmm? What now…?"

You mutter, feeling your phone vibrate as your ringtone goes off. You see the familiar phone number and feel your heart leap out of your chest. You knew he would call; it was simply a matter of when. That idiot was always too involved when it came to you. Something you'd have to talk about later; you weren't even really dating, or a thing. So you didn't understand why he spent so much time with you as it was.

You weren't anything special; so why had he chosen to focus on you, instead of Irina? Ever since the day you'd baked him that cake, as a simple apology for taking up his—and the students time—he seemed smitten with you for some reason that was indiscernible. Heck, or was it even before then? When you had so embarrassingly cried after class, blubbering like an idiot as you sometimes did? What did he see in you? You just put the phone up to your ear, doing your best to ignore the twisting of your stomach as you hear his cheery voice on the other end.

"[Name]-Sensei, hello! You're going to be released today, yes?"

"I'm already out technically. Was thinking of getting a cab to take me back into the city…"

"Oh, is that so? Please, don't! I'm having my lunch break right now. I can come pick you up in a matter of minutes! It's no bother at all."

"O-oh no! You...don't have to—"

"Too late; I've already decided to come get you! Hold on and I'll be there in a few minutes!"

You hear the phone click, the connection cutting off as you let out a resigned sigh. It wasn't that you weren't appreciative of the gesture; it was quite kind of him. You were simply tired of having others do things for you, being stuck in the hospital for so long and having the nurses take care of your needs. To have him doing something for you, which you could do yourself perfectly well, was slightly annoying to you.

That—and you had trouble admitting this to yourself—you didn't want him to see you in such a disheveled state. You didn't look anywhere near as professional as you usually did; your hair a mussed up mess and your clothes wrinkled and still slightly dirty from your fall. Part of you hadn't cared; too tired and mentally fatigued to worry about your appearance right now, figuring you'd fix it when you got home. Now, knowing that Sensei was already on his way made your stomach twist in a knot of anxiety. You try to take a couple breaths, steadying your nerves as you walk through the empty lot into a less people infested area.

All too soon, you barely notice a blurred shape speeding through the sky, before it touches down on the ground a few feet away from you. You resist the idea to smile at him, though it was tempting, instead letting out an annoyed huff as you shook your head.

"Seriously, why did you waste your lunch break to come get me? I don't get it…"

Koro Sensei only frowned at your words, his much taller body seeming to tower over you and making you feel vulnerable as his beady eyes met yours.

"It's not a waste! You need to understand this; maybe my 'lessons' aren't getting through to you…"

You feel him shuffle closer to you, a tentacle wrapping itself around your shoulder as it pulls you closer to him, a mischievous smirk on his round face as it presses up closer to yours.

"In that case…I suppose I'll have to do a better job as your teacher too, then!"

Despite the hammering of your heart in your chest, you can hear yourself laugh as you lean into him, enjoying the feeling of his much larger body against yours. Koro Sensei didn't seem to mind, even though you felt him exhale sharply through his mouth, robe shaking slightly against you. He smelled quite nice, and you wanted to stay with him like this. You understood you couldn't—it would look quite odd considering where you were—so you carefully attempt extricate yourself from his grip. It was futile however, as he held on quite well, the grin on his face making you nervous and excited at the same time. You simply do your best to keep your tone neutral, not wanting to give away the feeling bubbling in your stomach.

"Is that so? Well...I didn't think you'd miss me that much. I was only gone for a few days…and I texted you at night to let you know I was okay."

"Yes, and I was still worried the entire time! The classroom wasn't the same—the students weren't nearly as enthusiastic as usual. You may not see it, but you're an integral part of Class E!"

You can only respond with a deep sigh, your gaze focusing on nothing in particular as you try to process his words. As if he could read your mood, you felt more tentacles start to wrap themselves around your body then, their soft feeling and pressure against your form making you feel quite calm.

"Are we...a thing?"

"A...thing? You mean like a couple?"

"...I guess so. We did go on a date, after all. Ruined though it was…"

You remind him, shrugging your shoulders nonchalantly. He simply nods, eyes twinkling as his smirk widens to nearly envelop his face.

"If you want to consider us a couple, then go ahead. I know I'm fine with it!"

"It might be a tad premature, but we are more than just coworkers. That much I will admit...Speaking of work, I should probably be leaving and getting ready for—"

"You're not going back to work so soon! At least rest for a few days."

You stop at his words, your face scrunching up in confusion as you regard him.

"Huh? But I'm fine; the doctor said so! I can go back to work tomorrow no problem!"

"You live alone; you just got out of the hospital. You need someone to look after you for a bit to make sure you don't do anything stupid! Like you're planning to right this moment!"

"It's not that big a deal—"

"Stop! Don't even say it! You have no relatives here, and you are too stubborn to involve Azusa-san with your problems!"

You notice his pitch deepening as his color changes from its usual bright yellow to a darkening red. Which confused and intrigued you. Why would he get so angry over you? You blink at the mention of your acquaintance, knowing that Koro Sensei never frequented the bar you sometimes went to. At least you assumed he didn't...Then how did he know about the young woman and her child? You attempt to ask, before a tentacle is raised up to your mouth, pressing against your lips.

"Wait, how do you know—"

"I wasn't finished, [Name]-Sensei. You still have a few days left until you can go back to teaching. I'm not hearing any excuses or lies from you; you can't change my mind on this! Besides, it'll only take me a second to see how you're doing on my lunch break. If you need anything, I can be there beefier you know it too!"

"...What!? No, you don't need to do that! I couldn't possibly ask—"

"[Name]-san!"

You simply stare at him in shock for a moment, unused to hearing that honorific on his tongue—or the fierce way he shouted out your name. You couldn't deny the spike of arousal rushing to your gut and pooling at your abdomen despite your embarrassment.

"Take help when you need it! Please, just let me do this...It would make me very happy to help you. It's no trouble for me, really! Handling those kids without you around is much more difficult, believe me!"

You cross your arms as best you are able, which isn't much considering you're currently wrapped around his torso by more than few wiggling tentacles. Your face flares up in shame and embarrassment, your voice quiet and even cracking a bit as you speak.

"Oh, fine...Since you just won't let it go. But you don't need to do everything for me, dammit. I can take care of most things on my own!"

"Of course! I will respect your choice and try not to go overboard. I might coddle you a little though; indulge me that much, hmmm?"

"Tch…"

You don't answer right away, weighing the pros and cons of his suggestion. Maybe it was because of your loneliness, but part of you wanted him to dote on you. Not that you hadn't been taken care of well by your parents, who loved you dearly, but this was completely different. To have someone take care of you because they wanted to, not due to the duties of their position. You figured you could let him spoil you a bit, for now at least. You tilt your chin upward slightly, narrowing your eyes to try and look tough.

"Fine. But! Only until I get better; I don't want to get used to it and take advantage of you or anything…"

You can feel rather than hear him chuckle then, a sly grin crossing his face as you feel his appendages pull you flush against him. You were completely surrounded by them now, though it was hard to tell by the way Koro Sensei hid your tiny frame within his large robe. You can feel the same sensation start to grow stronger in your gut then, making you feel almost uncomfortably warm.

"Oh, trust me, nyehehehehe...you won't have to worry about that at all! Now, we really should get going, don't you think? You look drained."

You wince as you notice him start to lift off, startled by the sudden movement and feeling of being lifted off the ground. You close your eyes for a few moments, not wanting to see the ground below you shrink to little more than blobs. You feel him chuckle again, his body vibrating slightly as you feel him level out vertically to begin flying for real.

"You certainly seem to be flying slower than you were before…"

You feel him stiffen slightly, the few tentacles wrapped around your body quivering as they gripped you just a tad tighter.

"Nyyyaa-what!? What are you talking about? I'm flying just as fast as I usually do! Are you sure you're not making things up, [Name]-Sensei?"

"No, you feel like you're flying slower…"

You feel him grow warmer suddenly, the tentacles holding you turning a light pink.

"...Ah, I guess you've found me out then! I admit, it would only take me moments to get to your apartment going at my usual speed. Can you blame me for wanting to spend some time like this? Taking the scenic route is fun; more so if you have someone to appreciate it with! We barely have time to meet outside of regular work hours, things being as hectic as they are."

"Yeah, I can get that…Take your time then."

You honestly didn't mind, enjoying the sensation of flying as you finally became used to the feeling of near weightlessness.

"Oh, how nice of you... I think though, that we should get you home and figure out what to do then! Now, off we go!"


End file.
